Developing a Future Proof Net Zero Mobility Hub at Park and Ride facilities – Feasibility and business case toolkit
Four Local Authorities, supported by the Greater South East Net Zero Hub, are looking for innovative tools to undertake technical and economic modelling and business case development to transform Park and Ride sites into “Net Zero Mobility Hubs” powered with PV as a minimum base case. The GSENZH would like to establish user-friendly digital tools to allow for flexible, adaptable approaches to a variety of demand and generation. This will enable the development of sustainable adaptable facilities aimed at a range of end users that may change as the transport needs of society evolve and new business models come to light.
Opportunity
Challenge opens
21/07/2023
Challenge closes
25/08/2023
Benefit
The organisation(s) participating in the IX will be given the opportunity to bid into an ITQ for a specific project within the Greater South East Net Zero Hub (GSENZH) region with funding to develop the tools in collaboration with GSENZH and its partners. Upon successful completion of the commission the tools will be made widely available to the public sector by GSENZH and potentially through the Net Zero Go platform. This will give the successful applicant visibility on the product that they have developed with GSENZH and partners.
Background
The Greater South East Net Zero Hub is a collaboration of eleven Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) that are working together to increase the number, scale and quality of local Net Zero projects being delivered across the Greater South East region of England. The GSENZH works with public sector organisations and their stakeholders to support the development and financing of local Net Zero projects.
Four Local Authorities are working with the GSENZH as project partners. The project partners are looking to develop a suite of potential projects to help them assess the feasibility and viability to support building a business case for developing Park & Ride facilities within the local authority areas to make them future net zero carbon facilities.
Park & Rides were originally established to reduce vehicle traffic entering urban areas where people could leave a car and use a bus to take them into a city, town, village or shopping precinct. The shift since COVID to work from home has hugely impacted the use of Park & Ride facilities seeing a reduction in vehicles using the facilities resulting in car parks that could be better utilised.
The project partners have the ambition for these facilities to serve as hubs generating and storing power for a variety of end use cases. Solar PV is anticipated as the base/minimum energy provision, likely to be in the form of solar canopies but also could integrate other energy inputs from within the local area. In time, the facilities could also provide a range of power-related services including electric vehicle charging, power supply offtake to the local area grid and power network balancing services.
The pace for adopting modes of net zero transport is increasing and methods of transport will evolve, changing the nature and traditional purpose of park and ride facilities will be a key consideration within the project. The project partners recognise that different financing and operating models will need to be considered taking account of different travel and transport needs for the localities as we transition to zero carbon mobility for individuals, businesses and communities.
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