Helsinki Energy creates space for electric cars
Lehtikuva/Martti Kainulainen Wind generators will perhaps not be needed as the network of charging points for electric cars is widening.Helsinki Energy constructs a mobile phone controlled charging point for electric cars. The first charging point will be opened in downtown Helsinki in November. It is part of an ongoing research project by Helsinki Energy and the Helsinki University of Technology which maps the situation of electric cars in the capital city until 2030.
Alongside the increasing quantity of electric cars, energy consumption and the demands of grid design will increase in the coming decades. The road traffic of the Metropolitan area covers about five billion kilometers per year. This is driven mostly by passenger cars. If half of this was driven by rechargeable electric cars, the additional energy demand would total to about 500 kWh. This is approximately one tenth of the entire electricity consumption in Helsinki.
The joint enterprise of Helsinki Energy and EPV Energy Ltd, Suomen Merituuli Oy wind farm projects, can produce well over the required amount of energy to cover the electricity demand of the city's road traffic.
- Helsinki has a chance of becoming a forerunner in using electric cars. This requires proper charging network, revision of car tax policies and investments in the road services for electric cars. Chargeable electric cars have a major climate impact. Carbon dioxide emissions from road traffic can reduce to a fraction of the current amount is we use electric cars and renewable energy, says the Head of Research and Development at Helsinki Energy, Jussi Palola.
Part of the project, the vehicle manufacturer Peugeot will also bring its latest full-electric cars to Finland this year. The cars will be utilized as work vehicles for Helsinki Energy. The range of Peugeot Expert Electric-car is 160 kilometers per charge.
Helsinki Energy is one of Finland's biggest energy companies. It sells electricity to over 300,000 clients in Finland, and covers over 90 per cent of the city's heating demand by district heating. The energy company produces and sells also district cooling, use of which is increasing strongly in Helsinki region.
Comments (5)