Monday 23 March 2020
MP gets a glimpse of greener future
Brentford & Isleworth MP Ruth Cadbury toured one of London’s electricity bus garages to find out how an electricity firm is helping power low carbon lifestyles.
Ms Cadbury visited Waterloo bus garage to find out how UK Power Networks is helping make buses more environmentally friendly.
The company delivers safe and reliable electricity to 8.3 million homes and businesses, and as part of that its expert engineers work with industries to help enable the UK’s uptake of EVs. There are more than 250 electric buses operating in London thanks to UK Power Networks working with the Greater London Authority and Transport for London, which means 25,000 schoolchildren on those routes benefit from cleaner air.
Ms Cadbury said: “It is great to see UK Power Networks passionately engaging with such a wide range of stakeholders. Electric vehicles are vital to tackling the climate change emergency and improving air quality in London, so I welcome UK Power Networks’ industry-leading engagement in this respect.”
Mark Adolphus, Director of Connections at UK Power Networks, said: “It was really interesting to meet with one of Britain’s foremost transport politicians to share the work we are doing to develop a smart, flexible grid that supports low carbon technologies.
“We deliver day-to-day power supplies and beyond that our electricity networks enable people to make green lifestyle choices, whether that is connecting an electric car, installing solar panels or selling their own power back to the grid. As the UK moves away from centralised, fossil-fuel-based power stations to a system where thousands of smaller generators consume and export electricity, it’s crucial we continue adapting to meet people’s changing needs.”
The firm is playing a leading role in the Mayor of London’s EV Taskforce to help ensure the capital continues to be one of the world’s leading low-emission cities. The company has developed the first-ever interactive online map to help local authorities plan the best locations for public charging points and is working with Transport for London to create a network of rapid charging hubs.
UK Power Networks won the 2019 Edison Electric Institute (EEI) International Edison Award for helping to enable Britain’s low carbon transition.
