European electricity firms line up behind plug-in cars[fr][de] 

CEOs from electricity companies gathered in Brussels last week (27 October) to discuss how greater harmonisation of the European energy supply market can be achieved without jeopardising competition. 

The industry presented EU Transport Commissioner Antonio Tajani with a declaration pledging their support for a carbon-neutral power supply in Europe and emphasising the need to prepare to electrify the transport network. 

They called for a simplified licensing procedure for developing electricity generation and transmission infrastructures, and said access to liquid capital markets will be key to fostering investment. 

Padraig McManus, chief executive of the Electricity Supply Board , said industry chiefs see cooperation on standardising apparatus as vital to allowing motorists in every country to avail of the same charging system. 

Speaking on behalf of Eurelectric, which represents the electricity industry, McManus said the car industry, equipment manufacturers, electricity companies and consumers will benefit from agreeing on a common infrastructure for plug-in vehicles. 

“Cross-industry agreement is an indispensable step to facilitate broad market penetration and will allow Europe to become a front-runner in the roll-out of mass-market electric vehicles," he added. 

He said the hardware – the connector and cables – should be the same in every European country. 

Charging station pilot projects 

The ESB estimates that 30% of its own carbon footprint can be attributed to the vans and trucks it uses to service customers and its infrastructure. It is in the process upgrading its own fleet of vehicles to electric models, and uses biofuels where possible. 

The utility company has also begun a pilot project which will see the first charging stations installed later this year. It is buying the stations from Carra Ireland , a small high-tech firm which has already rolled out a similar scheme in the UK. 

The commitment to pressing ahead with practical preparations for electric vehicles was welcomed by Commissioner Tajani, who said the move will help put the EU at the forefront of new transport technologies. 

However, not all auto industry players agree on what the future of electric vehicles will look like. Some are investing heavily in plug-in cars, while others have invested in hydrogen and fuel cell technology. 

Better Place , a US-based electric vehicle service provider, has developed a system which involves replacing car batteries at designated exchange points. The company is already working with authorities in Israel, Denmark and Australia to build and operate the infrastructure required to shift to electric vehicles. 

A number of other EU countries have been in talks with Better Place, but progress has been sluggish in a number of cases due to concerns that the privately-held US firm could have a virtual monopoly over the recharging infrastructure, which would be part-funded by local utility companies.