On November 1st, 2023, the e-charging park on the P&R site at Merklingen station officially went into operation, after a construction period of just under six months. A total of 259 of the 430 parking spaces are equipped with high-performance e-charging stations. Here, vehicles can be charged with environmentally friendly electricity generated locally by the PV roofing.
The decision in principle for the e-charging park was already taken by the Swabian Alb Region Association in spring 2022. All the necessary preparations were made during the construction of the P&R site. The installation of the photovoltaic canopy and the charging stations started in mid-May this year. Thanks to the excellent cooperation of all planners and companies involved, it was possible to meet the deadline for completion. This project was made possible in particular by the subsidy of 75% of the construction costs from the LGVFG program of the state of Baden-Württemberg, for which association chairman Klaus Kaufmann is very grateful. “It is important to us that our P&R system at the station Merklingen – Swabian Alb is well equipped for the future. This largest solar carport of its kind makes a special contribution to sustainable and environmentally friendly mobility throughout the Laichinger Alb.”
Together with State Secretary for Transport Elke Zimmer and District Administrator Heiner Scheffold, the members of the association’s assembly as well as representatives of the planning offices and the executing companies, the charging park will be inaugurated on October 31, 2023. State Secretary Zimmer emphasised: “Mobility must be thought of in a networked way. The Merklingen – Swabian Alb railway station is a showcase project for the transport turnaround. The existing park-and-ride offer is now even more attractive thanks to the new charging stations. The photovoltaic systems provide climate-friendly energy for this purpose – and without taking up additional space. The station is thus a model of how the energy transition can be driven forward in an environmentally friendly way along the existing infrastructure.”
The Swabian Alb Region Association is certain that the Merklingen – Swabian Alb railway station with its state-of-the-art equipment offers all citizens of the region the best opportunities to switch to electromobility and thus actively contribute to climate protection. The combination of public transport and electric mobility provides a sustainable alternative to private transport, especially for commuters at the station.
