Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Please find below a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the James Farm Eco Hub and their answers.
1) With the Government’s new policy requiring developers to install electric vehicle chargers in new build properties, are projects like this still required?
The simple answer is yes.
Grupotec welcomes the Government’s announcement that require new homes and buildings to have EV charging points. This helps address the chronic shortage in the provision for EV charging as we get ever closer to the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in 2035.
The government’s focus on the delivery of EV charging points reinforces the need to deliver publicly available charging points. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders believes that, even taking account of EV charging at home, work and supermarkets in future, at least 700 public charging points must be installed each day for the next 7 years.
The need is even more pressing to ensure that rural communities are not left behind. Unless there is a significant increase in the rollout of publicly available EV charging points, we could see "charging blackspots" in small towns and rural areas. It is therefore imperative that we move to increase the provision of public charging points with projects like this one.
What happens if you need to charge your EV while you’re making a journey? What about the existing 25 million homes, the vast majority of which lack the provision to charge an EV? What about two car families and those with no off-street parking? It cannot be expected that all will be able to install the necessary home charging points.
We need to make charging an EV as simple and convenient as refuelling a petrol or diesel vehicle. With the proposed Eco Hub, we can ensure that this corner of West Berkshire will not become a “charging blackspot” and get left behind as the rest of the country moves forward into the future.
2) Why is the site a suitable location for the proposed Eco Hub?
At present, there are insufficient charging facilities locally and those that exist typically comprise low-power chargers. The demand for EVs will increase rapidly over the coming years, especially as the UK prepares for a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and small vans by 2035.
Research shows that rural areas are at risk of becoming ‘charging blackspots’ as there has been a focus on providing EV charging facilities in cities and large towns. This project plugs a regional gap in charging facilities and helps re-balance the current bias towards more populated areas.
3) How many cars can be charged per hour / day at the EV station?
The number of vehicles that the Eco Hub can charge will depend on the size of the battery in the vehicle, what range the driver wishes to add and the type of charger used. To give an example based on current, reasonable estimates, a 60 kWh battery charged to 80% using an ultra-rapid charger would take around 10-15 minutes.
Using a rapid charger, this may take 40 minutes. This level of charge would provide an electric vehicle with a range of roughly 144-192 miles.
4) What is the range of the average EV compared to a conventional petrol / diesel vehicle?
The range of electric vehicles varies widely between different makes and models. However, most modern electric vehicles have a range of 200+ miles.
5) Is it true that it can take 6 hours to fully charge an EV?
The time taken to charge an electric vehicle will depend on the size of the battery in the vehicle, what range the driver wishes to add and the type of charger used. Home chargers may take many hours to charge a vehicle, although this is often overnight when the vehicle isn’t being used.
The rapid and ultra-rapid chargers of the type proposed for the Eco Hub can charge most vehicles much quicker than this – typically between 10-40 minutes. Ultra-rapid chargers can charge at up to “1,000mph”, i.e. they can add range to the vehicle at a rate of 1,000 miles for each hour they are being charged – equivalent to 100 miles every 6 minutes - www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/new-tesla-supercharger-can-give-1000-miles-charge-hour
6) EVs are expensive. Is there a second-hand EV market?
EV prices are falling as battery costs fall and electric cars are expected to cost the same or less than their petrol/diesel equivalents within the next 5 years.
There is a growing second-hand EV market too. According to the SMMT, used or second hand sales for electric cars have doubled. In 2023, 119,000 second hand electric cars were sold in the UK, an increase of 90.9% increase on the previous year. The total market share of used electric car sales was 1.6% in 2023, up from 0.9% in 2022.
7) Why is there a move to transition from crude oil to electric vehicles in the UK?
The move to electric vehicles in the UK (and around the world) is largely related to efforts to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, which is released by petrol and diesel (fossil-fuel) cars.
Replacing a petrol or diesel car with an electric vehicle is often seen as a way of reducing a driver’s carbon footprint.
Electric vehicles are also being promoted in towns and cities to reduce air pollution (there are no exhaust emissions from electric vehicles).
8) Will there be an increase in traffic once the hub is operational?
The EV charging station is intended for use in the local area rather than being a destination charging point. Further discussions will be held with the Highways Authority to ensure that any traffic movements on local roads have been considered and will be acceptable.
9) How about wildlife, would it be displaced?
The project would be carefully designed to minimise effects on existing wildlife, both diurnal and nocturnal.
In fact, the project will deliver a net gain in biodiversity on the site.
10) What opening times do you expect the Eco Hub to have?
The small café/kiosk element will have typical trading hours (perhaps 7am to 7pm, seven days per week) although the EV charging element may be open for longer. This will be agreed at a later date with West Berkshire Council, should the project obtain planning consent.
11) How about noise?
EVs are quiet by their nature and the project would cause little additional noise for the local community. The design will respect its location.
12) What is the timescale for development and how long would the hub be operational?
The construction of the eco hub is planned for 2027. The project is expected to operate for 40 years.
13) How does this plan fit in with local planning policies?
West Berkshire Council declared a Climate Emergency on 2nd July 2019. The Council subsequently declared an Ecological Emergency on 5th October 2023.
The Council has produced an Environment Strategy that outlines steps to reach a net-zero target by 2030 across the district which clearly states that solar energy generation is a significant part of this strategy.
Our proposal to generate clean, green electricity at source along with plans to increase the biodiversity of the site responds to the Council’s local emergencies and a broader, national target to reach net-zero by 2050 in the UK.
In addition, the Council’s Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle Strategy encourages the delivery of charging points across the district.
As such, this project accords with the ethos of the relevant Local Plan and responds to the central aims of all three, local climate emergency strategies, by producing clean, zero-carbon electricity for the National Grid.
14) What job opportunities will the Eco Hub create?
During construction, we expect the Eco Hub to create up to perhaps 50 temporary construction jobs over a period of 3-6 months.
Once operational, it is estimated that the scheme will support around 4 full-time equivalent jobs (FTE) in the regional economy, including approximately 6-8 local, part-time jobs relating to the EV charging station and small café/kiosk.
15) What happens at the end of the Eco Hub’s life?
At the end of its expected 40-year life, all elements of the scheme would be fully decommissioned, namely the solar farm, EV charging infrastructure and battery storage facility and associated infrastructure such as the seating area etc.
The detailed decommissioning arrangements would be expected to be included in the list of planning conditions associated with any future planning permission.
Nearer the time of decommissioning, a decision would be made as to how much of the underground infrastructure should be taken away, given that the environmental disturbance may be significant if it is to be removed after 40 years.
That said, the project is completely reversible, and all aspects could be fully removed if that is the preferred option at the time.
16) Is the taxpayer subsidising this project?
No – this project is financed entirely by private capital.