EVs kick off Aran Islands' sustainable energy study participation |
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The delivery of eight electric cars to the Aran Islands this week marks the beginning of what is thought to be Europe’s first practical study on how integrating renewable energy, electric transport, storage heating and other environmental initiatives can lead to a sustainable, cost effective and money saving solution for all of a community's energy needs. The electric Mega e-City vehicles are an integral part of the study, which will run over the next three years.
As part of the study, the cars will be used as everyday transport by the participants. Their charging patterns and electricity usage will be monitored and managed through a smart metering system. It is envisaged that when the vehicles are charging, primarily at night, they will be using energy from renewable sources. The team behind the projects estimates that the electricity cost of charging the vehicle on the islands could be as low as €60 per year. Normal urban running costs are higher – the project team believes it would cost around €200 to run the EVs for a year if fully charged every day, which is, on average, around 70pc cheaper than the fuel costs of similarly sized diesel cars. The Mega e-City has no exhaust and zero emissions when driven. “The Mega e-City cars are ideal as they are built to perform and maintain their high quality appearance in the harshest of environments,” said Robert Nolan, managing director, Green Machines. I don’t think that the French manufacturer could have asked for a better proving ground than the Aran Islands. “I believe the long-term aim of the islanders is to make their home the first region of the country that is totally green in every sense of the word,” he continued. “Through the adoption of a smart home energy management system and the use of electric vehicle batteries as a source of grid energy storage I think that they will not only achieve their goal but will prove to the rest of the country that sustainability is a realistic prospect for the whole country.”
Courtesy Silicon Republic |
The project was conceived by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and developed in conjunction with electric vehicle (EV) supplier Green Machines, Merrion Fleet Management, and smart metering company Klockner Moeller Ireland.
