Transport is the source of responsible energy consumption of the fastest growing emissions of greenhouse gases that cause climate change. It is also a sector heavily threatened more than expected to a shortage of energy resources, forcing us to achieve greater efficiency to ensure the sustainability of transport.
Every day there is a greater awareness and social acceptance of the need for more sustainable mobility and respectful with the environment, and the electric vehicle is contributing greatly to this mobility is today an ever closer reality.
Aware of this situation, and through the momentum of Asinelte and AUVE, business associations of electrical installers and user of VE, and with the support of public institutions, arises CanariasTeRecarga.com, a service platform designed to promote electric mobility in the Canary Islands.
In the Canary Islands, in addition to the existing fleet, we are visited for more than ten million tourists each year, making us one of the main tourist destinations in Europe and makes us support a number of above-average vehicles of any other space geographical. Well aware of the demands of “green economy” is essential to facilitate sustainable mobility in our islands, making them a leader in the use of electric vehicles.
The targets of CanariasTeRecarga.com are:
- Potentiation of the Canary Islands development of electric vehicles.
- Outreach and awareness on the use of the electric vehicle and its advantages.
- Information about the process of incorporating technology and innovation electric vehicle.
- Installation of charging points appropriate to the needs and growth of the electric vehicle market.
- Conversion time recharging stations use an opportunity of enjoyment for the user and business for companies in which they are installed, giving priority installation in leisure centers, restaurants, historic districts…
The geographical conditions of our islands, with relatively short commutes, facilitate the existence of a network of charging stations for electric vehicles to promote the increase in the number of electric vehicles and sustainable mobility in the archipelago. According to the study of introduction of electric vehicles in the Canary Islands by the ITC, in 2030 it is estimated that there are 2 million vehicles on the Canary roads, which are expected to 413,000 are electrical, most of which will be passenger cars (292,000).
Sales of electric vehicles in Spain during 2013 reached 800 units in 2014 came to 1,076 units (+ 33%) and in 2015 (through May), 679 units were sold (+ 15% same period) and forecasts are fastest growing still, with the arrival on the market of new models and, especially, with the implementation of aid for the purchase of such vehicles.
Strategy
According to the study for the introduction of electric vehicles in the Canary Islands, held in November 2013 by the Instituto Tecnologico de Canarias (ITC), currently in Spain momentum and integration of electric vehicles it is reflected in different plans and regulations whose quantitative objective was to achieve figure of 250,000 units of electric vehicles in Spain 2014.
The Memorandum to Promote Electric Vehicle in Spain, signed on 18 November 2009 by the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade, the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) and the private industrial sector for the development and implementation electric vehicle in Spain, brand aims to establish a framework for joint mechanisms for cooperation between the public and private sectors in all areas affecting the plug-in electric and hybrid vehicles.
One of the major problems, now in solution phase, the electric vehicle is limiting their autonomy; and in that sense, the electric vehicle is a particularly interesting alternative in the Canary Islands, since it is relatively much easier to deploy an efficient network of recharging points in the archipelago than in the rest of the country, mainly due to the small geographical size of the islands.
Forecasts
Based on models of population estimates, PIB, growth in vehicle sales, demand for energy and other parameters, an increase in the fleet of vehicles is estimated from 1,533,626 in 2013 to 2,081,187 in 2030, of which estimated 413,359, about 20% will be electric.
The number of cars in Europe is projected to increase to 273 million and 2.5 billion worldwide by 2050. It is also expected that the efficiency of internal combustion engine improves by 30% in that period. But it is much more than likely still not be possible to meet the demand with petroleum and biofuels.
In the Canary Islands, considering supply and fuel costs, environmental factors will be essential to have new electric vehicle technologies that ensure long-term sustainability of mobility in the Islands.
The price of electric vehicles will experience significant cost reductions in the future, based on the progress in cost reduction curve via economies of scale. There will also be a cost reduction in the prices of electric mobility due to reduced costs of electricity generation technologies using renewable energy.
The existence of a strong network of charging stations for electric vehicles in the archipelago is one of the essential conditions for growth and implementation of electric mobility, breaking the great paradox of “chicken and egg” (non-electric vehicles are used because there is no charging points, and no charging points because no electric vehicles). The European Commission has imposed a minimum number of charging points that must be installed by 2020, 80,000 in Spain, as well as the unification of existing systems to avoid harm to manufacturers and users of electric vehicles.
