GreenFleet

Q Recently, Gordon Brown PM announced that the government plans to “kick-start a green car revolution” and make Britain “the European capital for electric cars”. What needs to happen in the current economic climate to enable this ‘revolution’ to take place?

A Despite these recent claims by the Prime Minister, the government has done next to nothing to deliver low carbon transport. Investment is close to collapsing right across the low-carbon sector and there is no sign that the Budget will alleviate the situation.
    
For this revolution to take place, we need government to take an active role in stimulating investment in infrastructure. For example, that means changes to regulation to encourage installation of electric charging stations and the right incentives for energy companies to produce green power.
    
Two weeks ago, the CBI said that ‘politics and policy’, not the recession, were delaying investment in the UK. Our plans make it easier for business to get on with it.

Q You have said that over the next 10 to 20 years, a shift to electric vehicles offers the best prospect for delivering low carbon motoring. Why is it of the greatest possible importance that Britain should be in the vanguard here?

A The future of motoring is greener cars, and we risk falling behind and becoming dependent on the products and skills of foreign countries for Britain’s low carbon transport infrastructure. Encouraging investment in electric vehicles in the UK not only means we can save tremendous amounts of carbon, but it means we can create an industry and a knowledge base in Britain which is worthy of export and can never be out-sourced. It is also important to encourage the shift to electric vans where UK manufacturers have made some impressive advances.  

Q How can the UK develop a new national recharging network to support this? What kind of costs would this bring and how will this be financed?

A Conservative government would create a national recharging network by designating charging points as regulated assets, incentivising energy companies to install them. Designation as part of the asset base would encourage investment by energy companies, so that the private sector covers the installation costs.

We intend to use the London Mayor Boris Johnson’s electric vehicles pilot as a starting point for action across the country to ensure that the UK is the place of choice for motor manufacturers to trial electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
    
To neglect the need for charging points would be like promoting the internal combustion engine without any petrol stations. To make the switch to electric cars, drivers need to have the confidence that they will be able to travel long distances without the fear of running out of power.  
    
As the number of electric cars increase, so will the demand for electricity. In order to help consumers keep their costs down, we will encourage ‘smart charging’ and electricity tariffs targeted at off-peak periods to take advantage of the time when there is surplus energy in the grid.

Q How will you ensure joined up thinking across government and industry so that there are common standards and we make best use of the emerging ‘smart meter’ infrastructure?

A Smart metering will help suppliers and consumers alike. With a uniform system of smart meters for vehicles and appliances, suppliers can follow the consumer no matter where they decide to charge. Smart meters will also expand consumer choice so they know exactly how much energy they are using and how much it costs.  

Q How will this system support the economic and efficient operation of the electricity infrastructure, against a low carbon generation background to benefit all consumers?

A When both the consumer and the supplier can manage their energy use and supply intelligently, it benefits both. A smart-grid, together with the use of smart meters in people’s homes, allows domestic and commercial appliances to use energy when it is more abundant and less at peak times.  
    
Businesses have more control over their energy consumption and can control their costs more effectively. Individual consumers and families benefit from great accuracy and communication with their energy supplier, meaning cutting out meter readings and estimates and driving down bills.

Q What signs are there that the consensus may be heading towards batteries rather than fuel cells?

A It is always difficult to predict technological changes and we must continue to assess both options from a variety of perspectives.  
    
However, at the moment, from a purely economic angle, batteries do look more viable at the moment. Honda’s FCX, for example, costs £950,000 a vehicle to produce – a long way from being affordable.
    
An affordable hydrogen fuel cell based vehicle and a cheap and easy way to produce the hydrogen to put in it, look some way down the track.

Q California has introduced an Alternative Fuel Vehicle Incentive Program offering up to $5,000 for the purchase or lease of alternative fuel vehicles, and the Portuguese government has signed a deal with Renault-Nissan to boost the use of electric cars by creating a national recharging.

What can we learn from such initiatives?

A These sorts of incentives work only when they are matched with the infrastructure that makes electric cars viable. The government recently tried to jump on the bandwagon with grants for electric cars, but the switch to electric cars won’t happen without a national network of charging points.