Electric vehicle charging infrastructure specialist Zest has installed new charging points at hotels on two Scottish islands. Visitors to the Isle of Skye, and South Uist in the Outer Hebrides, are set to benefit from the new facilities during their stay.
The facilities mean hotel guests at the Uig Hotel on the Isle of Skye, and visitors to South Uist’s Brae Lea in the Outer Hebrides, will be able to park up, plug in and charge when they visit.
Each location now offers two charging points set in designated parking spaces. The chargers run on 100% renewable energy and at speeds that match the typical length of stay. Work to install the units was carried out by specialist electrical installers, BMM Energy Solutions from Glasgow.
On the Isle of South Uist, for example, Brae Lea is a family-run hotel close to the Lochboisdale, with stunning loch and hillside views. “Finding ways to lower our carbon footprint is important to us here on Uist,” said Dr Rupert Marshall, Owner of Brae Lea.
“We’re pleased to benefit from Zest’s investment in a way that adds so much value to an island rich in natural beauty. I believe this installation makes visiting us even more attractive to our guests.”
Scottish Ministers have set ambitious climate targets, with a statutory requirement to achieve a 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and Net Zero by 2045. With electric car sales booming, one in seven cars sold in Scotland is now fully electric.
“Our Hebridean installations mirror the Scottish government’s commitment to serving some of the most remote locations in the UK,” said Robin Heap, CEO at Zest, a Leeds-based company investing in public charge points for public and private landowners across the UK, backed by the government’s Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund.
The CIIF is a dedicated fund established by the UK Government in 2019 to help develop public charging infrastructure points for electric vehicles throughout the UK.
“We’re delighted to introduce EV charging to such spectacular settings,” Heap continued.
Each location now offers two charging points for guests.
Billy Harley, the Proprietor at The Uig Hotel on Skye, also welcomed the installation. The hotel’s surrounding scenery has also been the backdrop for many films including Stardust, Macbeth, Prometheus and – most recently – Spielberg’s BFG.
“This is a significant addition to what we already offer here at our historic hotel, which dates back to 1831,” said Harley.
“Given that we are just five minutes from the Ferry Port we’re confident that we will start to see more electric vehicle owners visiting us here on the Isle of Skye.”
