NFU Energy has announced its partnership with the rapid charging network, InstaVolt.
This partnership sees InstaVolt named as NFU Energy’s new rapid charging provider collaborating on projects to aid the UK in its transition to decarbonisation. The aim is to support the agricultural sector in diversifying as well as working towards a more sustainable future approaching net zero.
Landowners and members of the farming community will benefit from additional income through the installation of rapid chargers if the circumstances are deemed to be right. The InstaVolt network has over 700 public rapid and ultra-rapid chargers nationwide at the moment but in order to meet demand with exponential increases in Electric Vehicle sales, there needs to be more.
The InstaVolt-built Stroud Park hub on the M40 has quickly become one of the busiest charging hubs in the UK and with InstaVolt’s expertise in identifying suitable locations, landowners and farmers can benefit from the conversion of low-grade land into valuable sites on the UK’s strategic road network. Locations with farm-shops can also benefit from the extra footfall and increased dwell time.
InstaVolt Chief Executive Officer, Adrian Keen, said:
“InstaVolt is dedicated to helping the agriculture and farming sector improve its carbon footprint. I’m delighted by NFU Energy’s decision to announce us as its new rapid public charger provider. Charger installations provide landowners with the perfect opportunity to make additional income from their land, and we’re delighted to support farmers looking to diversify their portfolios.
“This partnership will help InstaVolt deliver on its pledge to grow the network to 10,000 chargers and offer reliable rapid chargers to additional locations around the UK, thus helping combat range anxiety – a major barrier to EV uptake.
“As well as providing NFU members a fruitful additional revenue stream, working with InstaVolt’s dedicated team will allow landowners to play a major part in helping the country move towards a more sustainable future and help to deliver adequate EV infrastructure as the country moves closer to its net zero/the 2030 deadline.”
NFU Energy Managing Director, Tim Crocker, said:
NFU Energy is delighted to be working with InstaVolt. The partnership will enable us to provide both NFU members and non-members the opportunity to earn money by renting out pieces of land.
In order to keep up with the infrastructure necessary to meet net zero targets research says the UK needs to be installing 40-50 new chargers every day for the next 10 years.1At present, there are just over 27,200 chargers but the Competition and Markets Authority reported in summer 2021 that 1 in 25 of those aren't working and for rapid chargers that number is even higher at 1 in every 10. 2
Through this new partnership our aim is to help facilitate the many infrastructure changes necessary to meet net zero and to provide substantial diversification opportunities to farmers and land-owners across the UK.
1New AutoMotiveOctober 2021, Electric Car Count — New AutoMotive
2ZapMap, November 2021 - How many charge points are there in the UK 2021 (zap-map.com)