The Department of Energy plans to put up solar charging stations to support the development of the electric vehicles, especially e-trikes, a government official said Wednesday.
“We were also given the go-ahead to use the Clean Technology Fund, the grant… to put up solar charging stations. We’re drafting the terms of reference for that, we have to bid it out. So that’s going to take a while. We’re waiting for certain consultants to come in and help us come up with a plan and terms of reference,” Energy Assistant Secretary Leonido Pulido III said.
The DoE will obtain funding for the solar charging station project from the $4-million Clean Technology Fund of the Asian Development Bank under the government’s Market Transformation Through the Introduction of Energy Efficient Vehicles (E-trike) Project.
“The consultants will help us identify what is the best model. For example, my recommendation is that there will be different types [of charging stations] if we will be allowed, we have to check under the TOR of the CTF,” Pulido said.
The department is laying the groundwork for the successful rollout of electric vehicles in the country by promoting the construction of support infrastructure, such as e-charging stations and after-sales service.
Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, in a speech delivery by Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella during the 6th Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit Tuesday said the local adoption of electric vehicles came with challenges and opportunities.
“There is a need to construct support infrastructures such as charging stations based on an open-access, non-discriminatory environment. We need to establish after-sales-support services to address anxiety of drivers on the availability of service centers, replacement parts, sustainability of operations, etc,” Cusi said.
The energy chief said the EV industry was still building up the domestic market and upgrading its production capacity.
“We can see expansion of the EV market not only in cities but also in the countryside. We are looking at the local auto industry to be part of the EV development,” he said.
