Customer: Eden Project, Cornwall, UK
20 x 22-kilowatt dual fast-charge electric vehicle (EV) charging points, supported by a user app and data-intensive back-office portal.
Eden Project in Cornwall has been one of the UK’s leading visitor attractions for 20 years. Dominated by two large enclosures of biomes containing thousands of plant species, it has continually sought to raise awareness of environmental matters and minimise its own carbon footprint. Aligned to this ethos, the team at Eden Project decided to invest in 20 electric vehicle (EV) charge points, to be situated in its visitor car parks. To supply and undertake the installation of the chargers, Eden engaged the services of Journey Energy Solutions.
A total of 20 units of the 22-kilowatt dual fast-chargers have been installed in the visitor car parks at Eden Project. They are suitable for deployment with a host of electric cars and vans, and with the average visit lasting four hours, there will be plenty of time for EV drivers to recharge their vehicles while they are elsewhere on the 15-hectare site. The charging is also available to non visitors who can come and charge, have a coffee or meal and relax / work whilst charging their vehicle.
Members of the public will be able to use the chargers via an app, while Eden Project will also employ the charge points to power its own fleet of Volvo EVs.
Average dwell time at the world-famous attraction is four hours, providing ample time for EV drivers to recharge their vehicles while they explore the site. This provides an excellent service for Eden Project visitors, but also for passing drivers who may want to stop, charge, have a coffee and do some work in amazing surroundings.
For Eden Project itself, there are multiple positive outcomes. As awareness of the on-site chargers grows, there will be more visits from EV drivers and the overall balance of traffic will tilt more towards electric vehicles. Meanwhile, Journey CaaS will bring numerous long-term benefits: the chargers are also paying for themselves, as the payments have been modelled on expected usage, it will support easy upgrading as both cars and charging systems become more powerful and adaptable. With its monthly subscription models, CaaS also includes charging availability guaranteed by Journey as well as ongoing maintenance provision.
In terms of day-to-day operation, the back-office system provides Eden Project with a wealth of data, including usage-based carbon savings calculations and information on charger status and health. ‘Self-healing’ capabilities built into the units mean that many issues can be diagnosed and fixed without the need to involve technicians.
“Working together with Journey, we can help organisations accelerate their transition to EVs in a cost-effective and sustainable way. Eden Project has been a leading light in sustainability for more than 20 years, and we are incredibly proud to support this world-famous destination with electric vehicle charging for both its own EVs and for visitors to the site.”
– Simon Fry, Finance Director, Eden Project Limited