EU Launches Clean Fuel Strategy
The main measures proposed in the Clean Power for Transport Package, of relevance to urban transport, concern recharging points for electric vehicles, the development of a Hydrogen network and refuelling with Liquefied (LNG) and Compressed (CNG) Natural Gas.
The "Type 2" plug has been selected as the common standard plug to be applied EU-wide. Despite that in some countries, such as France, this plug is not used, in most European countries this is the most produced and used plug, hence its selection. The Vice-President comforted expressed concerns by saying that experts have assured him that all EU counties will be able to adjust their charging points.
With regards to the charging points, under the proposal a minimum number of recharging points will be required by each Member State by 2020. 10% of those should be publicly accessible. This number is based on the number of electric vehicles planned in each of the Member States. The required number per country, as well as the current stance, is available in the table below.
The common standards will also apply to the Hydrogen network. Under the proposal, existing filling stations will be linked up to form a network ensuring the mobility of Hydrogen vehicles. This applies to the 14 Member States which currently have a Hydrogen network.
The Clean Power for Transport Package also touches upon refuelling of trucks and at major EU ports withLiquefied Natural Gas (LNG). The Commission is proposing that LNG refuelling stations be installed in all 139 maritime and inland ports on the Trans European (TEN-T) Core Network by 2020 and respectively 2025. These would be fixed or mobile refuelling stations. Refuelling stations for trucks should also be installed every 400 km along the roads of the Trans European Core Network, by 2020.
The Commission's proposal with regards to the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), mainly used for cars, is to have publically accessible refuelling points Europe-wide, with common standards, with maximum distances of 150 Km, again by 2020. This density of refuelling points will allow CNG vehicles to circulate in the whole EU.
Common standards for LNG and CNG refuelling stations for cars, trucks and vessels must be developed by December 2015.
According to the Commission, Member States will be able to implement these changes without necessarily involving public spending if they use the wide range of measures available to mobilise private investment. At the same time, EU support is already available from TEN-T funds, cohesion and structural funds.
Links:
EC Press Release, 24/01/2013
Clean Power for Transport - Frequently asked questions, 24/01/2013
Electric charging Points/vehicles per Member State
|
Members States |
Existing infrastructure (charging points) 2011 |
Proposed targets of publicly accessible infrastructure by 2020 (1) |
Member States' plans for nos of electric vehicles for 2020 |
|
Austria |
489 |
12,000 |
250,000 |
|
Belgium |
188 |
21,000 |
- |
|
Bulgaria |
1 |
7,000 |
- |
|
Cyprus |
- |
2,000 |
- |
|
Czech Republic |
23 |
13,000 |
- |
|
Germany |
1,937 |
150,000 |
1,000,000 |
|
Denmark |
280 |
5,000 |
200,000 |
|
Estonia |
2 |
1,000 |
- |
|
Greece |
3 |
13,000 |
- |
|
Finland |
1 |
7,000 |
- |
|
France |
1,600 |
97,000 |
2,000,000 |
|
Hungary |
7 |
7,000 |
- |
|
Ireland |
640 |
2,000 |
350,000 |
|
Italy |
1,350 |
125,000 |
130,000 (by 2015) |
|
Lithuania |
- |
4,000 |
- |
|
Luxembourg |
7 |
1,000 |
40,000 |
|
Latvia |
1 |
2,000 |
- |
|
Malta |
- |
1,000 |
- |
|
Netherlands |
1,700 |
32,000 |
200,000 |
|
Poland |
27 |
46,000 |
- |
|
Portugal |
1,350 |
12,000 |
200,000 |
|
Romania |
1 |
10,000 |
- |
|
Spain |
1,356 |
82,000 |
2,500,000 |
|
Slovakia |
3 |
4,000 |
- |
|
Slovenia |
80 |
3,000 |
14,000 |
|
Sweden |
- |
14,000 |
600,000 |
|
United Kingdom |
703 |
122,000 |
1,550,000 |
(1): The number of publicly accessible recharging points is 10% of the total number of recharging points.