Electric mobility: key element to combat climate change
Santo Domingo. -He Ministry of Energy and Mines reported that it has begun to lend the due attention at all levels to electric mobility, for considering it as essential part of the energy transition with economic and environmental impact favorable for citizens and the Dominican State itself.
The approach was made by the head of the institution, Antonio Isa Conde, at the opening of the “Seminar on Electric Mobility in the Autoferia Popular”, carried out by the Dominican chapter of Word Energy Council (WEC-RD) in the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC).
The official considered it necessary to make an effort so that the incentives offered to those who encourage the movement towards electric mobility are fulfilled, while promoting regulations, adapted to current times, so that traffic flows in an orderly manner.
In the seminar they were present Rolando M. Guzmán, rector of INTEC; Rudy Ramírez, president of WEC-RD and Julian Santana Araujo, administrator of the Electricity Transmission Company (ETED).
After affirming that “electric mobility is here to stay”, Isa Conde highlighted the contribution that the private and public sectors are making in promoting this modality of locomotion, but warned that the fruits are subject to the application of regulations and the transit organization, especially in the urban area.
"One of the big problems we have today is the large circulation of vehicles in poor condition, which congestion traffic in this city and, above all, that have very high levels of pollution," said Isa Conde.
In this regard, Arturo del Villar, dean of the INTEC Engineering area, said that in Latin America and the Caribbean transport accounts for more than 20% of carbon dioxide emissions and, therefore, this sector represents a key element within the commitments to combat climate change.
“Electric vehicles are opening more and more in the region, but for now the supply and demand is a bit limited, however, it is estimated that for the next few years the number of electric or hybrid vehicles will increase as they improve the conditions of the States ”, considered Villar.
Del Villar said the electric car expansion represents challenges for the Dominican Republic, in terms of production costs for infrastructure development and for the geographic characteristics. "Electric vehicles also represent a challenge because their introduction will require the expansion of current electrical systems and a greater demand for energy, in this way renewable energy will be required each time, especially in terms of installed capacity and generation."
“INTEC as an academy will continue to graduate engineers with the skills capable of solving those challenges that concern us all,” said the Dean of INTEC.
On the importation of vehicles, the Minister of Energy and Mines, deplored that of each 100 vehicles imported by Dominican Republic 80 are used units, many of them discarded in their countries of origin by the pollution levels that generate.
“In this country the circulation magazine is a myth, it is simply a tax. We cannot continue like this, ”said the Minister of Energy and Mines. From his point of view, it constitutes another important challenge for the country to make the migration towards hybrid and electric mobility, but based on clear rules and respect for the law.
“We must create regulatory measures regardless of the political cost it has. We cannot allow traffic regulations to run the same path of many Dominican laws and norms that become simple pieces of paper, ”he said.
When highlighting benefits of electric mobilityIsa Conde cited the reduced demand for fossil fuels for transport, with positive reflection on the oil bill, taking into account that the increase of one dollar in the price of a barrel of oil costs the country an additional RD $ 3,330 million.
During the activity there were also several exhibitions on electric mobility in the Dominican Republic, by representatives of the companies WEC-RD, AES, CEPM, EDESUR, Electric vehicles RD and INTEC.