EZ-Charge, a Bicester-based developer of electric vehicle chargers, has been announced as a first-place winner in a competition to find Oxfordshire’s most impactful green energy projects.
The company scooped one of the two top spots for its Park and Charge Oxfordshire project, which aims to improve electric vehicle charging infrastructure, in the Built Environment & Communities category of the new Energy Pathfinders: 2050 (EP:50) competition run by Oxfordshire Greentech and the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP).
Competition entries were judged by leaders from industry, academia, and the public sector, against the three core principles of the Oxfordshire Energy Strategy. Park and Charge Oxfordshire impressed the judges with its immediate potential to make electric cars a more viable and attractive option for residents throughout Oxfordshire by providing 280 well-positioned charging points in car parks around the county.
The project’s social and economic potential scored further points with the judges; alongside addressing critical infrastructure challenges on the path to net-zero, EZ-Charge offers opportunities for local people to develop crucial skills and training through apprenticeships and interns. The project also demonstrates a strong level of community engagement, with a group of local EV Champions established to encourage electric vehicle uptake and share experiences with fellow residents.
Phil Shadbolt, Chairman at EZ-Charge, added: “We couldn’t be more pleased to have been named as a winner. We are working hard to make electric cars a more viable option for people around the county and hope this win will serve to encourage our communities that this project will have enormous, tangible benefits – socially, economically, and in improving access to greener transport.”
Energy Pathfinders 2050 (EP:50)
Ahmed Goga, Director of Strategy and Programmes at the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnerships, said: “The fact that the panel was able to select two projects that met the high expectations set by our first tranche winner speaks volumes about the quality of the submissions in this category. Both projects are very different but equally compelling exemplars of the ambitious principles outlined in the Oxfordshire Energy Strategy.
The projects also go a long way in addressing some of the key challenges set out in the Pathways to a Zero Carbon Oxfordshire report, published last month, shining a light on Oxfordshire’s world-leading innovation ecosystem – a critical message to communicate ahead of this autumn’s COP26 event in Glasgow.”
Lewis Knight, EP:50’s Deputy Chair and Strategic Director at Oxfordshire Greentech, said: “We were impressed by the extent to which both winners demonstrated outstanding environmental, social, and economic impact, alongside the significant potential to improve the long-term availability of sustainable transport and infrastructure within the county and beyond.
“Both winning entries are proud members of the growing Oxfordshire Greentech network, highlighting the strength of Oxfordshire’s clean, green sector and acting as a zero-carbon pioneer for the UK.”
The EP:50 competition continues for a final round with Category 3: Energy Efficiency & Demand Reduction open for entries. Those wishing to enter into this category can do so at https://www.oxfordshirelep.com/ep50.
