Knaresborough is in line to receive the country’s first water-powered electric vehicle charging station.
North Yorkshire Council plans to install a hydro turbine to power vehicles parked at Waterside Car Park, alongside the River Nidd.
The council successfully bid to the government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure scheme, which funds schemes by local authorities in England to install charge point infrastructure for residents without off-street parking.
The River Nidd is within metres of the car park.
A council spokesperson said:
“The reason it has been chosen is to pilot rolling out EV charging points in areas with high grid connection costs.
“While Waterside car park in Knaresborough is not as grid-constrained as some, it is the ideal site to pilot due to the weir, flow rate of the river and landownership with that stretch of the river and car park belonging to the council.”
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The spokesperson added:
“Hydroelectric power should be able to reliably provide power throughout the year except in extreme droughts and each site is looking to have a secondary renewable generation capability, either solar or wind if appropriate.
“The renewable sources will provide power to a large battery system and which will then be able to charge up to five vehicles at once.
“Full costs are to be determined once the procurement process has been completed.”
They added “as far as we are aware it will be the first one in the country” and the likely installation date was next year.
Traders fear lost revenue
Empty electric vehicle charging stations in Chapel Street Car Park.
The roll-out of electric vehicle charging stations has proved controversial in Knaresborough
Ten bays have been installed in Chapel Street Car Park in the town centre but there is rarely more than one or two in use.
This has infuriated some traders, who say they are losing business on Wednesday’s busy market day because customers in non-electric vehicles struggle to park.
They have called for some electric vehicle bays to be available to all vehicles until demand for the charge points catches up with supply.
Twelve EV bays have been installed at Conyngham Hall Car Park but are not yet active and the bays have been coned off to all motorists. None of the five bays planned for Waterside Car Park have yet been created.
Matt Walker, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough West on North Yorkshire Council, said hydro turbine-powered charging bays at Waterside Car Park were “really positive” but he shared concerns about the allocation of parking bays in the town.
Cllr Matt Walker
Cllr Walker said:
“The council needs to make sure these spaces can be used by people if they are not being used by people with electric vehicles.
“If they are sat empty it benefits nobody. Businesses are losing out on customers and the council is losing out on thousands of pounds of revenue.”
Cllr Walker said he had been told by the council the situation would be reviewed.
