Galp‘s initiative to use streetlights as charging points for electric vehicles is a response to its commitment to facilitating the adoption of electric mobility, especially for those users who do not have their own garage.
Nuno Bonneville, Iberian Head of Electric Mobility at the company, assures that this project is already being carried out and they are evaluating extending it to other regions of the Iberian Peninsula.
“We have it underway in a Portuguese municipality and if it works, we would like to implement it in Spain as well,” he explains to Mobility Portal España.
In the neighbouring country, four chargers of this type have already been installed in Matosinhos and Carcavelos, and there are two municipalities interested in replicating this technology.
What is its main advantage?
The use of existing infrastructure, avoiding the need to create additional electrical networks, a factor that significantly reduces installation times and the impact on the environment.
And not only that.
By switching to energy-saving LED lamps in streetlights, the electrical connections on the poles have surplus power that can be used to supply electric cars.
“This model allows users, without a garage or access to a nearby charging point, to transition to electric vehicles without restrictions,” he says.
What else is Galp working on in Spain?
To facilitate the installation of chargers in less-traveled areas, the company, in collaboration with BMW, is implementing an initiative in the rural area of Soria that seeks to improve the infrastructure of the place.
This effort seeks not only to increase accessibility to cargo in less-traffic areas, but also to provide a sense of inclusion to communities.
“The project is currently in the deployment phase, although authorizations are still pending for its implementation,” Bonneville explains.
And he emphasizes: “However, we are moving forward, we are going to achieve it and we are not going to take it away.”
Deployment in rural areas is essential and the Ministry for Ecological Transition has considered it within the Moves Corredores plan, whose launch is scheduled before the end of 2024.
This program seeks to improve the coverage of charging infrastructure on roads where it is currently insufficient.
This is not his only collaboration with BMW.
Galp is focusing on innovative energy storage solutions to expand charging infrastructure in areas of higher demand.
In collaboration with BMW and BeePlanet, the firm has implemented a project known as “Second Life Batteries” in Alcalá de Henares.
This system reuses batteries from end-of-life electric vehicles to charge up to nine cars using minimal grid power.
“In this way, we manage to reduce emissions associated with the battery cycle of electric vehicles, extending their useful life and reducing the energy required from the electrical grid by ultra-fast charging hubs, which facilitates the development of these infrastructures,” he explains.
What differences does Galp see between Spain and Portugal?
In Portugal, the system is interoperable and they have an independent entity, MOBI.E.
This model manages the entire network and informs customers about charging points, keeping them informed about their operation and price in real time.
“This simplifies the process and allows users to travel from north to south with a single application or means of payment,” explains Nuno Bonneville.
In contrast, in Spain users face the need to have multiple applications to travel around the country in an electric car.
Although progress has been made with a state entity beginning to coordinate the network, the state is still in its infancy.
Bonneville points out that, in their case, their Mundo Galp app allows Spanish users to access their charging points on the Iberian Peninsula.
It also has interoperability agreements so that points from other CPOs can also be integrated into the app.
How does this work?
“The customer can make the payment through our app or, upon arriving at the charging point, using the app of the operator with which we have an agreement,” he explains.
Likewise, customers of this CPO can “refuel” their vehicles at Galp chargers.
Galp opts for fast charging in Spain
The company’s strategy also focuses on installing ultra-fast chargers of up to 350 kW at its service stations.
“We want to offer a user experience similar to that of refueling, which takes between five and 15 minutes,” says Bonneville.
Added to this is safety and comfort as the pillars of the firm’s strategy in the electric mobility sector.
From constant maintenance and an emergency hotline, to ultra-fast charging lanes accessible to people with reduced mobility.
It currently has a network of 5,500 charging points on the Iberian Peninsula, with 20% of the electrical network installed in Spain, and seeks to double its infrastructure every year.
