The Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) has presented the results of the first call of the MOVES Singulars II Programme, endowed with 100 million euros from the funds of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR) to promote unique and innovative projects that promote the technological maturity of electric and fuel cell vehicles and, thus, facilitate their commercialisation.
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A total of 82 projects from companies, research centres and public sector entities have been selected; they are spread across 14 autonomous communities and will channel an investment of 217 million euros.
“A total of 175 projects were submitted, requesting a total requested aid of more than 386 million, which demonstrates the success of the programme and confirms the launch of a second call, with a much larger budget than the first call: more than 264 million”, highlighted Sara Aagesen, Secretary of State for Energy, during the presentation of the results of the aid line, at an event held at the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE) and available on the IDAE’s YouTube channel.
35% of the selected projects (29) are related to innovative refuelling infrastructure, hydrogen refuelling and integration with other smart grids. In this area, three projects selected for the development of hydro generators stand out. Another 23 projects relate to the development of new processes or prototypes of electric vehicle models, while 21 focus on the development of ICT applications for electric mobility, and another nine on the development of batteries and electric storage.
“These initiatives promote innovation throughout the electromobility value chain, which helps to consolidate and position Spanish industry in the electric mobility sector: they will generate 1,300 direct jobs; they will contribute to reducing energy consumption by 3.34 ktoe/year; and they will avoid more than 11,500 tonnes of CO2 per year”, said Aagesen.
Unique and innovative projects
The selected initiatives include battery storage solutions integrated with renewable energy, such as the one proposed by Easy Charger, which aims to accelerate the installation of fast public access charging through a mobile solution that generates and stores energy while feeding an ultra-fast charging station, or innovative and bidirectional charging projects, such as the one presented by Acciona Generación Renovables in the Balearic Islands.
Another type of project is related to innovation in the use of ICTs for electric mobility, such as the one presented by Dezentracom, for the implementation of a digital, social, intelligent and interoperable ecosystem for electric mobility, based on blockchain technology. Also noteworthy is the Guppy project, a sustainable interprovincial shared mobility platform presented by Astur Sercmar. This is a success story already implemented in the Principality of Asturias, which aims to expand to other regions.
Other pilot projects include the hydrogen technology bus demonstrator in the Balearic Islands, by the Empresa Municipal de Transports Urbans de Palma de Mallorca; or the unique project by Scutum Logistics, which consists of a battery subscription service for electric vehicles, including a network of recharging stations in different cities in Spain.
Finally, projects related to the design of new prototypes of electric vehicles have been encouraged, such as the eco boat project presented by the Nao Victoria Foundation; or a unique project for the implementation of a pilot experience based on innovative technology of sustainable electromobility in the mining industry, presented by the company Hidráulica y Mecánica Sallentina.
2nd Call of the MOVES Singulares II Programme
IDAE Director General Joan Groizard explained the characteristics of the second call for proposals, which has a budget of 264 million euros and is open until 24 November.
“We are looking for innovative charging projects, integrated with renewable energies, bidirectional; projects that innovate in the use of ICTs; use of batteries and new prototypes of electric vehicles. This new call for proposals will allow us to continue consolidating the promotion of innovative solutions to accelerate the deployment of electric mobility in our country”, explained Groizard.
The grants under the new call, which will provide incentives for projects with a minimum investment of 100,000 euros, will be managed by the IDAE, will be distributed on a competitive basis and will contribute to achieving the milestones set in the PRTR’s “A shock plan for sustainable, safe and connected mobility in urban and metropolitan areas.”
This programme complements the other calls for proposals of the MOVES ecosystem for the deployment of electric mobility in our country, consisting of the MOVES III programme, which provides aid for the purchase of hybrid or electric vehicles and the installation of recharging points, and the MOVES Fleets programme for the replacement of fleets of combustion vehicles with hybrid or electric models.
Reducing the impact of transport
The transport sector consumes 44% of Spain’s final energy. More than half of this consumption is concentrated in urban and metropolitan environments. Most transport depends on hydrocarbons, a fossil resource that is almost non-existent in Spain, which implies a significant energy dependence on the outside world and on international market prices. This adds to the deterioration of air quality linked to emissions associated with fuel combustion and its effect on health and global warming.