Government of the Azores to support use of buses and taxis powered by electricity
The Vice-President of the Government announced yesterday in Angra do Heroísmo that the Government is developing a system of incentives for the use of vehicles powered by electricity in regional public transportation.
Sérgio Ávila spoke at the closing session of the conference "The Energy Challenge of Energy Mobility." According to him, the measure aims "to reduce the environmental impact and the renewal of public passenger transport fleets, using a system of incentives directed to energy mobility." This initiative covers buses and taxis.
The Vice-President of the Government conveyed his belief that "the challenge of electric mobility in the Azores must be associated to the challenge of the penetration of renewable energy sources as important components of energy production."
For Sérgio Ávila, "the economic and environmental effects of electric mobility is wider the greater the incorporation of the renewable energy component," since geographical dispersion requires specific solutions for each island.
Given that the production of energy from renewable sources on larger islands "is getting closer to local consumption," the government official defended that larger islands can store the energy produced.
The Vice-President of the Government mentioned the project that is being developed in conjunction with EDA to increase production from geothermal energy, wind and waste recovery, optimising electrical mobility and reducing fuel imports.
In his speech, Sérgio Ávila pointed out Corvo as an example of "a good response in the archipelago" to the question regarding the use of renewable energy and the subsequent savings in terms of imports.
"On the island of Corvo, we are rapidly heading towards a solution so that all inhabitants will not need to use gas due to the panels that are installed in every home," said the Vice-President. According to him, the Region, given its knowledge and its geographical features, can be "a laboratory where we may continue to develop this project."