Coal power baron Trevor St Baker is spending nearly $30 million to build a nationwide electric vehicle charging network, calling on Australians to “embrace” clean energy.
Mr St Baker, the joint owner of the Vales Point coal-fired power station and founder of coal power company ERM, aims to supercharge the development of a national EV charging network.
“Clean energy is the future and is something that I expect Australians will embrace as we expand national EV charging facilities and infrastructure,” Mr St Baker said.
“This future cannot be achieved without dedicated investment in education and infrastructure to advance our nation’s capabilities and spark forward-thinking change.”
The $28 million investment is being made through the St Baker Energy Innovation Fund into Evie Networks’ planned charger rollout along highways linking major capital cities.
It stands at odds with Mr St Baker’s recently revealed $6 billion plan to build two new coal-fired power plants in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley and the NSW Hunter Valley, which could be subsidised by the federal government’s plan to underwrite new energy generation.
Mr St Baker is also the chairman of Tritium, another Australian builder of EV fast-charging infrastructure, which has significant market share in Norway’s EV fast-charging market.
Evie Networks chief executive Chris Mills said the first charger will be operational by mid-2019.
“Our initial network of 42 ultra-fast electric vehicle chargers, which is the largest highway rollout planned in Australia to date, will open the door to long-distance travel for electric vehicles by making charging more accessible,” Mr Mills said.
Mr St Baker said the plan is to eventually construct 100 chargers within the next five years.
The investment comes after Infrastructure Australia noted the need for a country-wide rollout of EV fast chargers as a priority project for the nation.
A recent Senate report also made sweeping recommendations on how Australia can catch up to the rest of the world’s electric vehicle industries and transition to EVs.
“Australian governments should prioritise the development of a national electric vehicle strategy,” the report said.
However, its authors said their report does not go far enough to accelerate EV uptake and warned Australia would be left behind the rest of the world.
“In Australia, we’re slow off the mark when it comes to EVs,” Mr St Baker said. “There’s been a reluctance to throw public money at it.”
Mr Mills said the EV industry can no longer wait for the government to act.
“While Australia waits for strong policy, the private sector is leading the way,” he said.
“An extensive, accessible charging network is an essential ingredient in the sustained uptake of electric vehicles. This network will give confidence to the auto manufacturers to import electric vehicle models to Australia, and with greater model availability comes more affordable vehicles.
“Therefore, increasing the number of chargers around Australia will make lower-cost models more available and practical, and this is the key to encouraging people to make the switch.”
Extracted from The Sydney Morning Herald