The Ina Boudier-Bakkerplein near Stevensbloem shopping center in the Stevenshof has added two additional charging stations for cars, delivery, cargo and refrigerated trucks or electric mobile equipment. Connections for electric charging have been made on the electricity sockets that supply power to the market on Thursdays.
The electrical boxes were outdated. Since they had to be refurbished anyway, a connection for electric charging was made right away. In this way Leiden makes smart use of the existing capacity of the electricity network. The electrical boxes are located at points where power is needed in some cases, in this case for the Thursday market. On other days, the capacity is now fully available to charge cars. Should a car be charging during the market, the system ensures that power goes to the market stalls first and the car charges more slowly. The system now also allows digital tracking of electricity usage. Previously, this was done manually.
More places in the city to follow
In addition to Ina Boudier-Bakkerplein, event electricity connections are being used to create charging stations at sixteen other locations around the city. Among others in the city center. Electricity boxes owned by Centrummanagement Leiden are also being modified. This will take place over the next six months.
Zero emission zone
Expanding existing electrical connections for events and the market is one of the measures the municipality is implementing to ensure adequate charging infrastructure. The municipality is doing this to prepare the city for the introduction of the zero emission zone for freight transport. From 2025, only clean means of freight transport will be allowed to enter Leiden’s city center and Station Square area. Then Leiden will be one of about 40 municipalities in the Netherlands to have a zero emission zone.
Clean Air Agreement
To make the existing electricity connections for events and markets suitable as charging points, the city of Leiden applied for and received money from the specific allowance of the Clean Air Agreement. This solution is a good example for other cities.
