The Ministry of Environment launched the user guide for financing the infrastructure development program for charging stations for electric and hybrid vehicles. The document allows city halls, public institutions and companies to develop projects for recharging stations for electric vehicles. The financing files will be submitted between September 15th and October 15th at the headquarters of the Environmental Fund Administration. The funds available for 2016 is 70 million lei, which will cover the installation of about 840 charging stations.
6.000 charging points installed in the network, until 2020
“The green power infrastructure program” […] lays the foundation for a future national network of charging points for electric vehicles in Romania. The program was designed on a multiannual framework, with an indicative target of 6.000 charging points installed in the network, until 2020. It is funded by the AFM and benefits, in 2016, of 70 million euros, a sum which will cover the installation of about 420 charging stations with normal power and other 420 fast charging stations,” reads a press release of the Ministry of Environment.
The “Green power infrastructure program” is designed for legal entities, namely: municipalities in communities with less than 50.000 residents, public institutions and businesses in these cities and operators whose head offices or workstations have direct access to motorways, European and national roads.
Each of these beneficiaries may apply to the AFM for the installation of charging points and is eligible for funding of 80% of the costs of such a project. The maximum amount a municipality, a public institution or a company may request is 900.000 lei – around 200.000 euros.
The program allows the installation of charging points with a normal power equal to 22 kW AC, and of those with high power, greater than 22 kW DC. For a normal charging station (about 4 hours for a complete charging), AFM took into consideration the market prices and established a maximum amount of 2.500 euros for a normal churching station, and 35.000 euros for a fast charging station (less than 1 hour). Thus, with the maximum grant (about 200.000 euros), an applicant can install 4 fast charging stations and another 24 with normal load.
The sites considered for being equipped with electrical chargers are the public parking lots, parking lots for or serving points of interest (sports, theaters, public buildings, shopping centers, hotel establishments, railway stations, airports, petrol stations), parking with direct access the motorways, national or European.
“We intend, as the charging points will be completed, to update an online map that any driver will be able to consult before going to any destination. We are convinced that as soon as the network will be active and it will allow us to cross of Romania from one end to another, with a 100% electric car, with costs below 50 lei, this mode of transportation will become an important option for many more Romanians,” said Cristiana Pasca Palmer, the Minister of Environment, Water and Forests.