Infrastructure, keys to sustainable mobility

The development and modernization of infrastructures will play a vital role in promoting and consolidating sustainable mobility. That was one of the fundamental premises in the second roundtable, called Sustainable Mobility, framed in the VIII Industrial Forum, under the title Spain advances towards zero waste: Mobility and technology, keys in the sustainable growth of the industry that celebrated this Wednesday the newspaper the Economist.

At the discussion table, in which representatives of the business sector gathered, one of the messages on which the speakers agreed was that of the need for charging infrastructures to be accessible to everyone. This was recognized by the head of external relations for Smart Mobility at Iberdrola, Carlos Bergera, for whom what needs to be encouraged in Spain is the public charging infrastructure.

For his part, the president of the IE Center for Transport Economics, Julio Gómez Pomar, stressed that payment for use is “essential as a general principle in the provision of services where absolute solidarity or absolute universality does not prevail.” For this reason, the solutions that are being considered in road transport is to go to a vignette system and then move on to the recommended model: payment for distance traveled. In his opinion, these statements that are heard “seem to me to be technologically backward. The polluter pays, let’s see if it’s true,” he argued.

Likewise, the CEO of Audi Spain, José Miguel Aparicio, wanted to remember that citizens have to be responsible, but it is true that when changes occur, sometimes a “certain alarm” is generated, a situation that worries in the sector of the car. Relevant steps have been taken by the Government when it comes to declaring them of public utility, including high-power recharging points at gas stations with high turnover.

For his part, the general manager of Getnet Europe by Santander, Rubén Justel, acknowledged that in the world of mobility there will be two fundamental processes for its consolidation: innovation and payment for use. And it is aware that both processes will require large investments, Justel is committed to “doing it with its own means, since we try to ensure that access is” universal using innovation and payment for use. ”

On the other hand, the CEO of Alsa, Francisco Iglesias, emphasized that the recovery funds from the European Union “will accelerate a process of real transformation of the companies that will last us many years”, while He was concerned that the calls for these funds are prolonged in time so that all companies can achieve this transformation. In addition, Iglesias explained that one of the pillars that the European funds will bring will be that they will need a large part of their staff to acquire a part of knowledge totally different from the current ones.

However, there was one point on which all the speakers agreed: the administrative obstacles. Thus, for Carlos Bergera, the Administration “must adapt to the new requirements for permitting regulations.” Iglesias spoke along the same lines, who defended that, at present, the administrative obstacles are “tremendous.”

Charging infrastructure

In the case of modernization and development of public charging infrastructures, Bergera stepped up to ensure that “charging services in Europe have to be provided with free market principles. They have to help drive the market.” And it is that from Iberdrola they bet by the infrastructure of recharging of higher power and this infrastructure “has more expensive procedures”. In addition, Bergera stated that it is true that the infrastructure for recharging electrified vehicles in Spain is lower, but “the infrastructure index for vehicles available in the park is among the four or five best in Europe.” However, he defended that “the objective is that there is electric mobility and it is evident that the infrastructure helps the transition. I like to talk about solutions to ensure that the user experience is optimal so that it is extended and that it is a favorable experience from efficiency and convenience. The infrastructure has to be accessible to all, interoperable. “

For his part, the top manager of Audi in Spain acknowledged that the Government has taken relevant steps when declaring these points of public utility, as well as the obligation on the part of gas stations with a large volume of billing to have recharging points high power. In addition, Aparicio defended the need to agree on a national plan for the deployment of the recharging network and establish a governance model so that this is carried out in the different provinces. And it is that, “we need 70,000 recharging points in 2023 and we have 12,000 at present and we will need 110,000 points in 2025 and about 340,000 in 2030,” he explained before recalling that this process must be accelerated. And it is that Aparicio stressed that in the automobile “we see ourselves as part of the solution, since we have been historical providers of freedom.” With all this, the boss of Audi in Spain recalled that in the short term “25% of emissions will be in the manufacture of batteries for electric vehicles.”

Companies ask to reduce excessive administrative obstacles in mobility

In addition, the top manager of the brand with the four rings in Spain pointed out that “not only decarbonisation has to do with vehicles, but also with the origin of energy.” And, according to the latest data, “we are at the bottom of Europe in recharging infrastructure and it is a crucial element to stand out at the market and manufacturing level,” said Aparicio. For all these reasons, he defined the application of vehicle recharging as the pending issue. The CEO of Audi in Spain also emphasized that “the development of the electric car in our market is one of the indicators that is taken as a reference for the award of new models in decision-making centers”, which are all out of Spain. On the other hand, the representative of Iberdrola assured that “sometimes it is questioned that electrification is detrimental to industrial activity and it is not.” However, Bergera argued that in Spain there is no battery or battery recycling factory and that will create jobs and wealth. And, Bergara recognized that Iberdrola participates in the change of the supply chain in the automobile sector because we are involved in the Next Generation funds.

Likewise, Gómez Pomar wanted to influence the concept of mobility as a right, but also wanted to make it clear that the same concept is also a necessity. For this reason, he argued that “mobility has to be sustainable, but the solutions will depend on the solutions in which we move.” And it is that, in his opinion, “mobility requires a lot of microsurgery and aligning the different actors to try to decarbonize the economy.”

Carlos Bergera: “In Spain we must encourage the public infrastructure for recharging vehicles”

Another vision was given by Rubén Justel, who recalled that being a payment entity it was recognized as a “relevant actor on this path to sustainability.” And, as he stated, “the large investments that companies make in terms of mobility, if the payment does not work, the consumer experience is horrible.” For this reason, he clarified that they are a relevant factor in the chain: contributing to sustainable development by guaranteeing universal access to public and private transport.

For his part, the CEO of Alsa, Francisco Iglesias, emphasized the importance of promoting public transport. And it is that from his company move more than a million travelers daily, although he acknowledged that the last two years have been “very complicated.” For all these reasons, he considered that the Mobility Law is an “opportunity”, although he made it clear that he hopes that it is not just a declaration of principles. In his opinion, “nobody disputes that education and health are the basic principles of society. Public transport has to be the third pillar of sustainability.” For this reason, he insisted that public transport must have financing, because if it does not remain in a declaration of intentions. “And, as Iglesias recalled,” in large cities, the public transport quota does not exceed 25% “.

New fuels

Another topic discussed at the table was related to the use of new fuels and their importance in the future. Mainly, the topic ran on the arrival of hydrogen as a new technology, which is already applied in some light vehicles. Along these lines, Bergera recognized that green hydrogen “will have a potential for use in industry if hydrogen production is changed, but also in transport.” Likewise, the Iberdrola executive stressed that it is true that there are still uncertainties in long-distance heavy transport. In addition, he recognized that hydrogen will be much more competitive for maritime transport and it will be difficult for the electric battery to arrive.

For his part, Aparicio explained that in the transport of urban fleets and for Spain there is an opportunity for technological innovation in this matter. In his opinion, in light vehicles, the hydrogen efficiency is 30% lower than the battery cell. In addition, he pointed out that the investment required to make a hydrogeneration plant is in the range of millions of euros, while for an electric station this range is in the hundreds of thousands. This opinion is in line with that made by the Volkswagen Group, the consortium to which Audi belongs, which has already expressed itself on several occasions for investing and innovation in electric batteries and not in hydrogen. But not only in light vehicles, also in long-distance heavy transport.