„Together for Eco-Change”: awards given in the first grant competition for charging stations for local authorities
The first edition of the 'Together for Eco-Change’ grant competition for local authorities has ended. The total value of the grants awarded is PLN 1 million.
Under the programme, the Santander Bank Polska Foundation and Santander Leasing will finance at least 17 electric vehicle charging stations. The grant awarded will cover the costs of building, servicing and operating an AC electric vehicle charging station with a capacity of 2 x 11kW for 24 months.
Charging stations will be built in city centres, often in locations attractive to tourists, in the vicinity of public buildings or in areas where there is currently no single charging station. This is very important from the point of view of electric car users, especially as we have targeted the project at smaller local authorities with a population of less than 100,000.
We are aware that one of the main barriers that limits the growth of electric cars is the availability of charging stations. We believe that every project, every initiative that increases their number is a step towards the popularisation of electromobility. And this, in turn, means less exhaust fumes and noise in the places where we live, work and go on holiday. That is why we would like to congratulate and thank all the local authorities that took part in the programme.
Charging infrastructure in our country is developing rapidly (in the first half of 2023, a 150% year-on-year increase in newly installed fast DC charging stations was recorded), but at different rates depending on the region and individual local authorities. Based on the latest PSPA report 'Polish EV Outlook 2023', as many as 56% of all publicly available stations in Poland are installed in cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants. In turn, 1/10 of all chargers operate along the TEN-T network. Smaller towns and cities often lack charging infrastructure, without which drivers who do not have charging facilities at home or at work will not switch to electric cars. The grants awarded in the 'Together for Eco-Change' competition are an important step towards changing this situation.
As we listen to the needs voiced by local residents, it becomes clear that the construction of charging stations is needed not only in large metropolises or along expressways, but also in smaller towns. Establishing cooperation with the JST sector particularly pleases us because of the great need for the development of charging infrastructure in areas not yet developed for this purpose.
The Together for Eco-Change grant programme supports efforts to improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, achieve climate neutrality in the EU by 2050, reduce noise levels and energy and fuel consumption in transport.
The project was jointly prepared by the Santander Bank Polska Foundation and Santander Leasing. The partners of the campaign are GreenWay Polska and the Polish Alternative Fuels Association (PSPA).
The results of the competition can be found at www.fundacja.santander.pl.
