Supporting electric cars: draft strategy proposes more charging pillars, lower electricity tariffs

Energy Minister Miriam Dalli has unveiled the draft national strategy on public charging infrastructure for electric vehicles with proposals to incentivise home and private charging pillars

Energy Minister Miriam Dalli unveiling the electric vehicle public charging infrastructure draft strategy
Energy Minister Miriam Dalli unveiling the electric vehicle public charging infrastructure draft strategy

Updated at 1:22pm with PN reaction

A draft national strategy for public charging infrastructure for electric cars is proposing advantageous off-peak rates and incentives for the private sector to invest in public charging pillars.

The strategy aims to lessen carbon emissions by making it easier and financially feasible to own electric cars, while safeguarding public health.

The strategy was unveiled for public consultation on Wednesday by Energy Minister Miriam Dalli.

Enemalta CEO Jason Vella said that Malta is working on becoming carbon neutral by 2050 with the aim of electrifying all cars within a few years’ time. 

He said that this has significant environmental advantages and that Enemalta aims to provide preferential rates to consumers so that electric cars become the more advantageous choice. 

The home and private charging rates that are being offered
The home and private charging rates that are being offered

Enemalta had enacted a pilot project for electric charging, where more advantageous electricity rates were offered in the off-peak hours and 58% of consumers benefitted from this scheme. 

The public charging rates to be offered
The public charging rates to be offered

The CEO of the board of the Regulator for Energy and Water ServicesMarjohn Abela unveiled new tariffs for all residential and non-residential categories. 

Policy advisor Abigail Cutajar mentioned the importance of providing support for the transition to electric vehicles, including the electrification and increase of the public transport fleet, the reduction to at least 19% of carbon emissions by 2030 and the launch of a green paper for consultation. 

She also mentioned that it is vital that the charging facilities are offered at multiple venues - publically, at home, en route and at the final destination. For this to be implemented, a national infrastructure is most essential and also the facilitation to install charging pillars at home. 

The vision, Cutajar said, is to provide equal opportunity to the private sector through the standarsation of sockets, price harmonisation, regularisation of the market and licensing, and a distribution plan. 

She also insisted on the concept of interoperability, where one operator can benefit from the service offered by another in order to improve accessibility. 

Energy Minister Miriam Dalli emphasised the need for a national policy for clean transport and that changes should come irrespective of any environmental obligations imposed by the EU. 

She said Malta is still at a starting point with around 4,000 electric vehicles on the streets. 

Dalli said that the incentive should come through lower charges and therefore she asked for the help of the private sector, where they could also offer public charging pillars. 

Through this scheme, operators need to obtain a licence for 10 years, and there will be a national registry, which is going to be publically accessible. 

She said that the electicity rates that are going to be offered are among the most competitive in Europe and are going to be much cheaper than the petrol and diesel rates. 

This policy, according to Dalli will bring about better public health, more sustainable communities, more green jobs and carbon emissions reduction. 

She was asked by MaltaToday about criticism from the PN that the Labour government is sacrificing public health to benefit the economy, when government lobbied with the EU to reduce the carbon reduction target from 36% to 19%

Dalli said the PN is not credible on the energy sector and that the Labour government is being a pioneer when launching this national strategy.

She added that there are countries in the EU that are still utilising energy derived from coal, while Malta transitioned from the use of heavy fuel oil to the cleaner natural gas.

PN reacts

PN spokesperson David Thake hit out at the Energy Minister, insisting that what she announced was nothing new. Thake said the minister failed to say how she intends tackling existing problems, including the widespread lack of charging pillars and the need to educate people on how to respect the use of charging pillars.

"A new government led by Bernard Grech promises an adequate infrastructure for the charging of electric vahicles backed by a reliable distribution network," Thake said.