Contact us

Moved by the Environment

[Case study]

Active Travel Aids Planning Consent

at UK Research Campus

Solarcycle Solar E-Bike Charger Enables Compliant, Low-Impact Installation

Background

A prominent UK research campus was committed to reducing car dependency among staff and promoting sustainable commuting. As part of its Active Travel policy, the organisation wanted to provide convenient, safe e-bike charging facilities to encourage employees to switch from cars to e-bikes. The initiative also aimed to free up existing car parking spaces without incurring high infrastructure costs or disrupting operations.

Challenge

The campus required a charging solution that could meet strict planning permission requirements while ensuring the highest levels of safety. Traditional mains-connected chargers would have necessitated costly groundworks, electrical connections, and potential planning hurdles. In addition, any solution needed to address e-bike fire risks associated with illegal, modified, damaged, or dangerous batteries, particularly important in a workplace environment.

Solution

Solarcycle UK installed its solar-powered e-bike charger onto the existing secure bike shelter, positioned 10 metres away from the nearest building. Solarcycle’s SMART charger, powered by its proprietary software, was custom programmed to operate in a mode fully compliant with the planning authority’s conditions.

This bespoke configuration, which was additionally charged for, enabled the project to proceed without any modification to the site or additional infrastructure. This Active Travel initiative directly supported the planning application by showcasing a safe, sustainable, and zero-mains infrastructure solution.

Solarcycle’s proprietary software enabled the charger to operate in a mode fully compliant with the planning authority’s conditions, allowing the project to proceed without modification to the site or additional infrastructure.

Key Safety & Technology Features

The Solarcycle solar e-bike charger is recognised as the safest on the market because it actively de-risks the entire charging process:

  • Continuous monitoring detects illegal, modified, dangerous, or damaged e-bike batteries.
  • If a fault is identified, the system automatically stops the charging process immediately.
  • Solarcycle’s software alerts management of any suspicious activity.
  • This intelligent safety layer provides peace of mind for both the institute and its staff.

Results & Benefits

Zero infrastructure cost:
No mains electricity connection or groundworks were required, making this the most cost-effective e-bike charging solution available — installed literally within minutes, not months.

Workplace impact:
The dedicated workplace charger has helped encourage staff to switch from cars to e-bikes, supporting the institute’s Active Travel policy and freeing up valuable car parking spaces.

Seamless integration:
The charger was mounted on the existing secure bike shelter, ensuring minimal disruption and maximum convenience.

Planning success:
By delivering a compliant Active Travel facility with no site modifications, the Solarcycle SMART charger played a key role in securing planning consent while meeting all authority conditions.

The installation demonstrates how Solarcycle’s solar e-bike chargers deliver safe, sustainable, and regulation-compliant charging without the expense or complexity of traditional systems.

Client Feedback
“Providing this facility on campus has helped us support staff in making the switch from car to e-bike. The Solarcycle all-in-one solution was so quick to install, compliant, and offered exactly what we needed at a competitive price.”

Solarcycle UK continues to partner with forward-thinking organisations to deliver safe, solar-powered e-bike charging that aligns with environmental and workplace wellbeing goals.

Planning an E-bike Scheme?

Use our Business Case Kit packed with the latest facts and tools to help you build an internal brief or apply for funding.

Get your Business Case Kit