Vasco Cordeiro opens pilot project that invests in new electric mobility technologies
The President of the Government opened the "Energy on Wheels - V2G Azores" pilot project, an initiative that focuses on the use of innovative technologies related to electric mobility involving several partners in the energy sector.
In testing this new technology and quantifying the benefit for users and power grid operators, the targets of this project "place the Azores at the forefront in terms of electric mobility technology," said Vasco Cordeiro.
V2G-Vehicle-to-Grid technology is considered the next step in electric mobility. In this context, electric vehicles will not just be power consumers as they will be able to inject power into the grid, i.e., an electric vehicle can charge its battery and/or discharge it to supply power to the grid when necessary.
At the beginning of the Government's visit to São Miguel, Vasco Cordeiro, after stressing that this is a project of "strategic importance for our collective future," considered that one of the challenges in the area of renewable energy lies in an increasing sustainability of consumption.
"It is not enough to produce energy from renewable energy sources. This energy must also be used efficiently. This project puts emphasis on this component," stressed the President of the Government.
In this regard, the President of the Government stated that EDA, within its responsibilities as concessionaire, should, besides the production of renewable energy, increasingly invest in "the efficient use of the energy produced, through the sustainability of consumption."
In his speech, Vasco Cordeiro also highlighted the position taken by the Region at international level in terms of using renewable energy sources and promoting its sustainable use.
"This project is another example of what the Region has done at national and international level," having been considered an example to be followed in the context of island regions, stressed the President of the Government.
The Azores are part of international consortia, cooperation projects and energy working groups, such as the RESOR or EMOBICITY projects. Additionally, they have been selected as one of the 26 leading European regions to present their agenda for energy transition under the European Clean Energy for EU Islands initiative, stated Vasco Cordeiro.
The pilot project opened today, consisting of 10 electric vehicles and specific charging stations designated for this purpose, has established partnerships with Galp (promoter), Nissan (supplier of electric vehicles), EDA - Eletricidade dos Açores (grid operator), Nuvve (software - system intelligence) and MagnumCap (supplier of directional charging infrastructure). Moreover, it includes the institutional representations responsible for monitoring the results of the project, namely the Regional Directorate for Energy (co-promoter), the Directorate-General for Energy and Geology and ERSE-Energy Services Regulatory Entity.
The Regional Directorate for Energy, the Directorate-General for Energy and Geology and ERSE-Energy Services Regulatory Entity are closely monitoring the evolution of the pilot project with the aim of carrying out the necessary adjustments to increase its efficiency, while assessing and quantifying the benefits for users and system operators.