Motorists in Aberdeenshire, Scotland will soon be able to charge their electric vehicles and use solar-powered parking machines in town centres across county.
Twenty of the solar-powered parking meters will be fitted at a cost of £80,000 which allows motorists to pay by cash, debit or credit card or their mobile phone.
The council heard that the current parking machines are prone to theft and often break down. It was suggested that the redundant power supply from the ageing parking units could then be used for electric car charge points.
The charge points, which would be offered to motorists in Banchory, Banff, Crathie, Ellon, Fraserburgh, Huntly, Inverurie, Peterhead, Stonehaven and Turriff would be free to use.
Mark Skilling, Strategy Manager for infrastructure, said: "We have the opportunity here to use the power supplies for something else. It is fair to say that the uptake across Scotland for electric vehicles is lower and slower than people expected it to be.
"We are going through changes and would like to see at least one charge point in each of our busiest town centres."
Twenty of the solar-powered parking meters will be fitted at a cost of £80,000 which allows motorists to pay by cash, debit or credit card or their mobile phone.
The council heard that the current parking machines are prone to theft and often break down. It was suggested that the redundant power supply from the ageing parking units could then be used for electric car charge points.
The charge points, which would be offered to motorists in Banchory, Banff, Crathie, Ellon, Fraserburgh, Huntly, Inverurie, Peterhead, Stonehaven and Turriff would be free to use.
Mark Skilling, Strategy Manager for infrastructure, said: "We have the opportunity here to use the power supplies for something else. It is fair to say that the uptake across Scotland for electric vehicles is lower and slower than people expected it to be.
"We are going through changes and would like to see at least one charge point in each of our busiest town centres."
