Today's Edition
SAYED AL HAJJAR (ABU DHABI)
More electric vehicle (EV) charging stations will be installed across the country under an ambitious Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI) and private sector project.
The country currently has 800 EV charging stations, and the number is expected to reach around 10,000 by 2030, and 30,000 by 2050, said Engineer Sharif Al Olama, Under-Secretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at the Ministry of Energy.
Sharif Al Olama, Under-Secretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI), highlighted intensified efforts to enhance cooperation and partnership with the private sector to significantly increase the number of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the coming period.
He noted that the country currently has about 800 EV charging stations, and the number is expected to reach around 10,000 by 2030, and 30,000 by 2050.
Al Olama told Aletihad that efforts are underway to electrify all government vehicles by 2030, and by 2050, half of the vehicles operating in the country will be electric and hybrid.
He clarified that the national policy for EVs, adopted by the Council of Ministers last July, is a regulatory framework that aims to unify the infrastructure standards for EV charging stations. It also aims to provide unified foundations that ensure coordination and integration among the relevant entities concerned with EVs in the UAE.
Al Olama said that the national policy for EVs focuses on unifying infrastructure standards for EV charging stations, ensuring the quality of roads and enhancing the country’s leading position in related competitive indices.
It also aims to establish the technical and legislative frameworks related to the recycling of EV batteries within the country and to encourage the business sector to invest in the infrastructure for EV charging stations.
Al Olama explained that the policy, which was prepared by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and is considered part of the transformational project “Global EV Market”, enhances its competitiveness in the field of electric vehicles.
He pointed out that the new policy supports the national roadmap for EV charging stations, aligning with the general goals of the national programme for managing the demand on energy and water developed to reduce energy consumption in the most consuming sectors in the country, most notably the transport sector.
The national policy for EVs contributes to supporting the UAE’s future targets by creating an environment conducive to economically, environmentally, and socially balanced advantages and incentives.
It also supports the transition towards the use of green transport systems, contributing to achieving the country’s target of reducing energy consumption in the transport sector by 40%, reducing carbon emissions by 10 million tonnes by 2050, and increasing the percentage of EVs in the country to become 50% of the total vehicles by the same year.
The national policy for EVs aims to build a national network of EV charging stations to support electric vehicle owners in collaboration with all partners at the federal, local, and private sector levels.
It also aims to regulate the EV market in the country and to build a package of incentives that serve the community and support electric vehicle manufacturers to encourage the use of EVs and increase their sales.
Enhancing Integration
In May the Ministry of Energy launched the “Global EV Market”, a transformational project to turn the UAE into a global marker for electric vehicles.
The project includes an integrated plan and an ambitious national programme to achieve integration between the energy and infrastructure sectors and enhance collaboration among federal and local government entities, in addition to the private sector.
As part of the Global EV Market and to enhance cooperation with key partners and the private sector, the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure concluded several cooperation agreements including the Federal Electricity and Water Authority, Bee’ah, and the American University of Sharjah.
Agreements were also made with electric vehicle manufacturers and investors, including Audi, Siemens, BMW, Jaguar Land Rover Limited, NEV Investments, Mercedes Benz, General Motors, and Porsche, focusing on constructive cooperation to create investment incentives in the national network for EV charging stations.
Al Olama also stressed the role of the private sector in establishing the national EV charging network and operating them effectively.
“During the past period, we worked on enhancing communication with the private sector, opening new channels of communication, establishing partnerships, and developing partnership in the smart mobility and hybrid vehicles sector. This supports the success of the UAE’s experience in using electric vehicles, which aligns with the country’s strategy towards environmental conservation and the transition to clean energy in all aspects of life, as well as the UAE’s strategic initiative to achieve climate neutrality by 2050,” he said.
He pointed out that the UAE has clear targets for the transport sector, including the Green Mobility Programme aimed at enhancing the green mobility system by increasing the share of electric passenger cars and buses and creating a mix of options for trucks. It aims to reduce energy consumption by 40% by 2050 according to the targets of the National Programme for Energy and Water Demand Management in the transport sector.
