Netherlands and California to collaborate on EV smart charging infrastructure
As a part of Dutch trade mission to San Francisco, Netherlands and California have signed an agreement towards better regulation and greater use of new technologies to make charging of electric vehicles easier, safer, and smarter.
The agreement was signed by Dutch environment minister Vivianne Heijnen and Yana Garcia Gonzalez, Secretary for Environmental Protection of California, in the presence of Dutch Queen Máxima and California's Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis.
Accordingly, experts from Dutch research organization ElaadNL and the California Energy Commission will conduct tests together and, based on their applied knowledge and experience, will advise legislators in the Netherlands, the US and the EU on incorporating cybersecurity, user-friendliness and safety requirements into new legislation in EV charging.
In particular, Netherlands and California want EV charging companies to use the uniform standards worldwide, so that drivers can use any charging station without first needing to take out a separate subscription.
The regulators opine that standardization will promote convenience and reduce drivers' uncertainty, while also making it easier for charging station manufacturers to market their products internationally.
"Electric vehicles and good charging stations go together like a train and a railroad", said Dutch minister Heijnen. "And there is still so much to gain when it comes to charging technology. It's an area in which the Netherlands and California have considerable expertise. There are several companies with this kind of know-how in the Netherlands, which creates good economic opportunities for us".
"When it comes to climate action, California punches above our weight. We're working with countries around the world to cut pollution and usher in a new era of zero-emission vehicles. California and the Netherlands are proud to stand side by side in our collective efforts to advance bold climate policies and protect communities from Alameda to Amsterdam," said Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis.
Yet another objective of this collaboration is to speed up the development of smart-charging with digital security. This also includes enabling EVs to feed power from their battery back into the grid, for instance when there is a lot of demand for electricity. Increasing the grid's peak capacity in this way could help solve the problems currently besetting the grid, experts opine.
With regard to e-mobility, the Netherlands and California are considered as pioneers in Europe and the US respectively. The Netherlands has a relatively large number of charging stations and charging services or equipment firms, contribute some €5 billion a year to the Dutch national income, according to the media reports.
California, on the other hand, is also home to many companies that make EV components and charging stations. The state's policy framework and regulation for EV ecosystem is recognized worldwide.
