KATHMANDU, May 24: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is all set to install 10 charging stations for electric automobiles across the valley within the next 6 months.
The state-owned utility aims to shortlist suitable locations for the charging ports to be set up, looking to promote the usage of electric vehicles (EV). The Office of Energy Efficiency and Leakage Control of the NEA has stated it has sped up the task of finalizing the locations.
Pramod Rimal, a deputy manager at the office, said that the NEA has published a notice, requesting interested firms to provide space for installing public charging stations that enables all kinds of electric vehicles to be speed-charged via ‘DC Boost Charging’. “Our plan is to set up charging stations at places like corporate offices, super markets, cinemas and government offices,” Rimal said. “Once we get appropriate space, we will install charging stations using our resources.
According to Rimal, each outlet will require three charging stations of 50 kilowatts each, and a parking space that accommodate at least 50 motor vehicles. The cost has been estimated in range of Rs 100-150 million.
NEA has already received about 10 proposals.
“Three types of electric vehicles have been imported Nepal. These proposed stations will support all these vehicles,” said Rimal.
Elaborating more on the turbo-charging feature of the proposed stations, Sagar Mani Gyawali, assistant manager of the NEA, said that hour should be more than enough to fully recharge an electric vehicle.
According to Gyawali, the propose stations will recharge EVs using any of the three ports – CHAdeMO, CCS and GBT. He also highlighted the economic advantage of using electric vehicles over other automobiles running on fossil fuel. “Fuel cost of a kilometer in electric vehicles is Re 1, while the same on motor vehicles using diesel and petrol goes up to Rs 7,” added Gyawali.
CHARGING STATIONS NEEDED LIKE PETROL PUMPS
The plan is finally is being executed after almost a year since it was announced in the Policy and Programs of the government for FY2018/19.
At present, there are 12 BYD charging ports in Nepal installed by Cimex – the distributor of BYD in Nepal – and one on Sajha Yatayat premises in Pulchowk. Korean automaker KIA has also installed some charging stations in Nepal. Likewise, the President’s Office and National Planning Commission Secretariat also have a charging station each.
However, they are not for public use.
Shailendra Guragai, director of Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal (IPPAN), suggests that the government should install charging stations in order to encourage the usage of EV.
“The government must formulate necessary laws to help create environment conducive for effective implementation of the plan,” he said: “Mere policies are not enough. These programs won’t materialize if we don’t have necessary infrastructure”
Recent surge in emergence of electric vehicles in the streets, and the lack of charging services has started posing a problem to consumers. “We find petrol stations everywhere in abundance, but charging stations are nowhere in sight. There is an urgency to install charging stations at the earliest.” Guragai added.
There are around 700 electric vehicles in Nepal.
Source : Republica
