We recently hosted our annual International Networked Energy and Emobility Day (INEED), and we are pleased to announce that it was a great success!
An exciting variety of energy management and emobility companies gave presentations to attendees, from electric vehicle manufacturers such as Tesla, Rock Engineering with their prototype of the first ever wheelchair for rugged terrain, and even Tactical AI, who explained the latest innovations in military tech. Several of our other partners also attended the event, running stands to promote their businesses and network with other businesspeople.
If you were unable to attend for any reason, we have you covered. This blog will run through the day’s schedule, including the all-important details of the businesses and their representatives.
James Foster CEO of ZPN Energy opened the event by welcoming our guests and introduced Councillor Jim O’Boyle of Coventry City Council.
Councillor Jim O’Boyle discussed Coventry’s central role in the Green Industrial Revolution, including their move towards electrical power. He addressed how Coventry has the most EV chargers in the UK, second only to London, and how Coventry City Council had moved over to electrical power for their bus network, with 140 all-electric double-deckers currently in use in the city of Coventry.
He further went on to explain how Coventry is a leading force in creating batteries for electric vehicles, which will become increasingly important as tariffs are placed on Chinese electric vehicles and their parts.
Following Jim’s speech, James Foster came to the stand again to thank Coventry City Council for their support for Coventry’s manufacturing sector, and to introduce the day’s interactive activities, which included test drives of electric cars by Tesla, Toyota and Polestar.
James of ZPN Energy who is also the CEO of SuperHub a marketing agency based in Devon discussed his experience in housing 100 homeless people, aged from 6 to 84, over the period of just over two years. James invested in the business ideas of some of his residents, helping them to get back on their feet and establish their own businesses. He also introduced his second business, SuperHub, the digital marketing agency responsible for organising and managing the INEED event.
James went on to discuss how the focus of the renewable energy sector should be on efficiency, not sustainability. This included his argument that, like ignorance around homelessness, ‘sustainability goals’ overlook the contributing factors that cause energy to be unsustainable.
One example he provided was that many of the electric vehicle chargers provided by local councils and businesses are too slow for most customers to be able to practicably use for their daily commutes.
His point was that renewable energy should be easy, accessible and fair to be accepted and implemented on a global scale. For this to be achieved, energy management companies need to consider the entire energy provision system. This will make renewable energy more affordable and accessible to the end customers, and a profitable investment for businesses.
Nick Wilson addressed the effect that his disability has had on his life, going from an active military man of 14 years, to a wheelchair user in under a year due to injuries he sustained in action. He candidly discussed how this had affected him, how it had been difficult for him to go out in public and stay active following his injury, causing his mental health to suffer severely.
This is a familiar story for many people who have sustained lifelong injuries. But, Nick explained, it doesn’t have to be that way. He pointed out that our society is designed for able-bodied people, and despite rapidly advancing technology, these resources have simply not been used to support people with disabilities.
One example he pointed out was pavements. Pavements are found on nearly every residential road in the UK, and a standard UK kerb averages just 12.5cm to 15cm. And yet, not one wheelchair manufacturer has developed a wheelchair that can scale a standard UK kerb.
This leads us to Nick Wilson’s innovation in accessibility technology: The Rock Climber. The Rock Climber is the world’s first all-terrain wheelchair, capable of going over uneven terrain, making it a trailblazer in the accessibility technology industry. In fact, Nick Wilson successfully used The Rock Climber to conquer Mount Snowdon - a historic feat, and a testament to what can be achieved with a combination of engineering and nerves of steel.
Story by ZPN Energy
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