Two hospitals in Greater Manchester have begun a trial of vehicle to grid (V2G) charging points as part of the Greater Manchester Local Energy Market Project.

The five V2G chargers, installed at Trafford and Withington Hospitals, are the latest electric vehicle charging technology, allowing energy stored in electric vehicles to be fed back into the national electricity network to help supply energy at times of peak demand.

The electric vehicles will be charged late at night when demand on the grid is at its lowest. The chargers will be used by the hospital’s Transport team to deliver vital services including the transportation of specimens, medication and medical equipment.

The two-year project is funded by a £6 million grant from the Industrial Strategy Challenge fund, delivered by UK Research and Innovation, and is due to conclude in June 2022.

Neil Emmott, Greater Manchester Combined Authority Green City Portfolio lead, said: “It’s fantastic to see the GM Local Energy Market progressing, a project that will be a key element in realising our carbon-neutral ambitions by 2038. Vehicle to grid charging is a perfect example of thinking outside the box to ensure we transform how energy is used, stored and distributed in the city-region. We see projects like GM LEM as vital for reducing our carbon emissions and building a new green economy for our towns and cities. I’d like to thank Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) for coming on board.

“This project sits alongside Greater Manchester’s expansion of the electric vehicle charging network, the proposed introduction of a city-region-wide Clean Air Zone at the end of May next year, and plans for hundreds of miles of cycling and walking routes as part of our strategy to build a cleaner and more sustainable transport system.”