Charging points

FIVE new charging points for electric vehicles are set to be installed in rural areas of Shetland thanks to a £72,000 grant from the Scottish Government.

The new points for electric and hybrid vehicles will be installed at the Belmont and Ulsta ferry terminals, Brae and Bixter health centres and potentially at a site in the south mainland.

In addition five existing power points in Lerwick – sited at car parks at North Ness, Grantfield, Clickimin, Lerwick Health Centre and Fort Road – are to be upgraded.

Shetland Islands Council could also attract up to £40,000 in grant funding to develop an electric vehicle car pool fleet. The money would allow it to rent up to three vehicles for a three year trial.

Both moves were unanimously approved at Monday afternoon’s environment and transport committee, whose chairman Michael Stout described it as a potentially “exciting development” for the islands.

A report to councillors highlighted that a network of charging points “could contribute a valuable means of balancing the electricity grid as it allows the storing of surplus energy to use as a transport power source at times of low consumer demand”.

Because of the way power is generated in Shetland, moving towards wider use of electric vehicles is not “economically or environmentally attractive” in the short term – but officials believe it is important for a network to exist to take advantage of national and international developments in the future.

The report added that the building of a more efficient power station at Rova Head would increase the carbon savings from using electric vehicles.