- The number of connected charging points in the two regions is expected to reach 4.4 million in 2024.
- Greece will spend $5.9 billion to phase out coal by 2028.
- Poland, the most coal-dependent EU country, will spend billions on green and nuclear energy.
- Arcadia Power is committed to making clean energy work for the planet and your bank account — all without changing your utility company. Sign up to receive your $20 Amazon Gift Card.
EV charging points multiply
The number of connected charging points in Europe and North America is expected to reach 4.4 million in 2024, according to a new report from Swedish market research firm Berg Insight.
The number of connected EV charging points in Europe and North America reached around 0.9 million units in 2019. Europe represents the largest share, with around 0.6 million. In North America, about 0.3 million of the total number of charging points were connected.
Growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 38%, the number of connected charging points in the two regions is expected to reach 4.4 million in 2024.
Adam Bjorkman, IoT analyst at Berg Insight, said:
The number of connected charging points has in the last year grown significantly, and as long as the electric vehicle fleet continues to grow rapidly the demand for connected charging stations will be steady.
The number of connected home charging stations is still relatively limited in both regions, but expected to increase in parallel to the general trend of our homes becoming smarter.
Greece abandons coal
Greece will stop the use of coal in power generation by 2028, and spend €5 billion ($5.9 billion) to offset the impact of that and cut carbon emissions in line with the Paris Agreement target of 2050.
The Greek government has pledged to switch off 80% of state utility Public Power Corp’s (PPC) coal capacity by 2023 to reduce its carbon footprint.
The spending will be funded by state money, EU funds, and European Investment Bank loans. Reuters reports:
The funds will be spent on infrastructure projects, subsidies to new businesses, and training, to help western Macedonia and Megalopoli in Southern Peloponnese switch to green energy, agriculture, and tourism.
Those regions are the main suppliers of the cheap and abundant lignite [brown coal] resources Greece has relied on for power generation for more than half a century.
Around 16 expected private investments in green energy and related activities are expected to help create more than 8,000 jobs in western Macedonia and Megalopoli.
PPC has already shut two coal units in Macedonia and will switch off the remaining 10 by 2023.
Poland’s major energy pivot
The Polish government announced on Tuesday that it would be moving away from coal and toward green and nuclear energy.
Poland has been the only country in the European Union to refuse to agree to reach net zero by 2050. It claimed it needed more time and money to make the shift. But its hand has been forced by rising emission costs, the pandemic, and the EU’s increasingly ambitious climate policies. Reuters reports:
In an update of its energy strategy by 2040, the climate ministry said Poland plans to invest 150 billion zlotys ($40 billion) to build its first nuclear power plants, with 6-9 GW of capacity eventually. The first 1-1.6 GW facility would be up and running by 2033.
It also plans to build 8-11 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity by 2040 with investment estimated at 130 billion zlotys. The development of renewable and nuclear energy facilities will create 300,000 jobs, it said.
The climate ministry said that coal’s share in electricity production will fall to 37%-56% in 2030 and to 11-28% in 2040, depending on the carbon emission costs.
Compare this to November 2019, when Poland had expected the share of coal at 56%-60% in 2030 and at 28% in 2040.
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Author: Michelle Lewis
Source: Electrek
