CleanTechnica.com: France wants more charging stations for electric cars
The Autolib electric car system in the Île-de-France region has about 2 5000 cars.
A new law that encourages the use of electric cars in France was promolgated on Wednesday. With this new law, companies will pay reduced taxes when building charging stations for these vehicles.
This tax exoneration is a way to encourage companies to install the infrastructure needed for the roll-out of electric cars in the country.
The law was adopted by the French Parliament on July the 23rd.
To profit from this law, companies must be operational in at least two regions in the country.
There are currently 10 thousand electric car charging stations in France. This new measure forms part of a bigger plan that will see Parliament voting on a law on Energy Transition in October. If it goes ahead France aims to set up 7 million charging stations by 2030.
Today 36 thousand electric cars are on the roads in France, out of a total of 38 million vehicles, according to the National Association for electric mobility.
Since the beginning of the year, sales of electric cars increased in France, but slowed down in July.
In 2012 France was the leading supplier of electric cars, but since then the Netherlands has caught up.
$13.4 Billion Energy Plan For France Announced
Tax credits and low-interest loans will be used to generate about €10 billion ($13.4 billion) for a new energy plan in France. About half the money will be loaned by Caisse des Depots et Consignations, a government-owned lender, and some will also come from non-state banks.
French President Francois Hollande wants France to reduce its reliance on atomic power from 75% to 50% by 2025. Such an investment is necessary to help with this transition. France is one of the most nuclear-dependent countries in the world. This situation is surely reasonable, because at one point several decades ago, France was overly reliant upon oil for the generation of electricity. When the oil crisis of the early 1970s hit, spiking petroleum prices put France (and other nations) in a financial headlock. Unlike many other countries, France doesn’t have large supplies of coal so couldn’t fall back on that energy source. Thus, it pursued nuclear power.
Demonstrating a note of optimism about the new energy plan, Environment Minister Segolene Royal, said, “What is important is to use our imagination. What we have done is financial engineering.”
While some say such government programs are typically not very effective, this one seeks to save energy through home renovation and insulation. Such practical measures aren’t as ‘sexy’ as a new solar power plant, but they can be beneficial. The installation of 7 million electric vehicle charging stations will also occur as a result of the program and electric car purchasing will be encouraged.
The public will also be incentivized to turn in old, diesel-powered vehicles in a bid that is reminiscent of the Cash for Clunkers effort that was made a number of years ago in the United States. The energy financing will also be used to create new jobs.
Another reason to invest in alternative energy is that many of France’s nuclear power plants are getting old. “We have a nuclear fleet which was built in the 1960s, 70s, 80s. So we arrive at a time when these plants get close to 30 years of age. The ageing of these facilities is a new factor, even if a foreseeable one. Can we go over 40 years? We have no answer on that yet. We are expecting a full report from EDF which will bring us to take a decision in 2015,” explained President of the French Nuclear Safety Authority, Pierre-Franck Chevet.
The Autolib electric car system in the Île-de-France region has about 2 5000 cars.
A new law that encourages the use of electric cars in France was promolgated on Wednesday. With this new law, companies will pay reduced taxes when building charging stations for these vehicles.
This tax exoneration is a way to encourage companies to install the infrastructure needed for the roll-out of electric cars in the country.
The law was adopted by the French Parliament on July the 23rd.
To profit from this law, companies must be operational in at least two regions in the country.
There are currently 10 thousand electric car charging stations in France. This new measure forms part of a bigger plan that will see Parliament voting on a law on Energy Transition in October. If it goes ahead France aims to set up 7 million charging stations by 2030.
Today 36 thousand electric cars are on the roads in France, out of a total of 38 million vehicles, according to the National Association for electric mobility.
Since the beginning of the year, sales of electric cars increased in France, but slowed down in July.
In 2012 France was the leading supplier of electric cars, but since then the Netherlands has caught up.
$13.4 Billion Energy Plan For France Announced
Tax credits and low-interest loans will be used to generate about €10 billion ($13.4 billion) for a new energy plan in France. About half the money will be loaned by Caisse des Depots et Consignations, a government-owned lender, and some will also come from non-state banks.
French President Francois Hollande wants France to reduce its reliance on atomic power from 75% to 50% by 2025. Such an investment is necessary to help with this transition. France is one of the most nuclear-dependent countries in the world. This situation is surely reasonable, because at one point several decades ago, France was overly reliant upon oil for the generation of electricity. When the oil crisis of the early 1970s hit, spiking petroleum prices put France (and other nations) in a financial headlock. Unlike many other countries, France doesn’t have large supplies of coal so couldn’t fall back on that energy source. Thus, it pursued nuclear power.
Demonstrating a note of optimism about the new energy plan, Environment Minister Segolene Royal, said, “What is important is to use our imagination. What we have done is financial engineering.”
While some say such government programs are typically not very effective, this one seeks to save energy through home renovation and insulation. Such practical measures aren’t as ‘sexy’ as a new solar power plant, but they can be beneficial. The installation of 7 million electric vehicle charging stations will also occur as a result of the program and electric car purchasing will be encouraged.
The public will also be incentivized to turn in old, diesel-powered vehicles in a bid that is reminiscent of the Cash for Clunkers effort that was made a number of years ago in the United States. The energy financing will also be used to create new jobs.
Another reason to invest in alternative energy is that many of France’s nuclear power plants are getting old. “We have a nuclear fleet which was built in the 1960s, 70s, 80s. So we arrive at a time when these plants get close to 30 years of age. The ageing of these facilities is a new factor, even if a foreseeable one. Can we go over 40 years? We have no answer on that yet. We are expecting a full report from EDF which will bring us to take a decision in 2015,” explained President of the French Nuclear Safety Authority, Pierre-Franck Chevet.
