500 charging stations for electric cars in the country by the end of 2025

Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure for Energy and Petroleum Affairs, Eng. Sherif Al-Olama, said that last year witnessed the installation of 104 electric car charging stations nationwide, while the target is to reach 500 stations by the end of this year by adding 400 new charging stations, in line with the significant increase in the number of cars. Electricity has become available at the state level and its prices have decreased in competition with its regular counterpart, so that it has become available to most segments of society.

The scientists stated in press statements yesterday, on the sidelines of the opening of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, that the acceleration in the spread of electric cars led to an increase in the targeted number of chargers to be installed greater than the plan, pointing out that reality indicates a significant growth in the number of cars last year greater than the percentage that was set. It was recorded in 2023, which amounted to 13% of the total number of cars sold in that year, but the exact numbers for 2024 have not yet been determined.

He stressed that the market in the Emirates is open and competitive with regard to the installation of chargers, as the private sector can invest in this promising sector alongside government agencies, especially after a unified tariff for charging electric cars was established through which the return on investment and other related matters can be calculated.

The scientists mentioned that one of the experimental projects carried out by the Ministry of Energy during the recent period was a project in cooperation with a number of parties, including Aldar Properties, First Abu Dhabi Bank, and Migel Energy, with the aim of studying the development of an integrated system to raise the efficiency of energy and water consumption in buildings in general. Aldar allocated 10 buildings, including hotels, commercial centers and buildings, which were audited regarding energy and water consumption, concluding that a reduction of between 20 to 30% could be achieved.

The scholars pointed out that “the idea had also been previously applied to a number of hotels in the Emirate of Dubai called (sustainable hotels), which applied a number of standards and requirements, so we tried to expand the idea by applying it to regular buildings so that certificates of experience could be issued by the Ministry for the buildings.” Which proves the existence of sustainable systems that save energy and water and reduce emissions.”

He added: “We have promising results from the pilot project, and we are studying the possibility of applying them on a broader scale.”

The scholars indicated that the Ministry has issued a tender to rehabilitate 60 government buildings, while two other tenders are being prepared for 400 government buildings as part of an initiative aimed at rehabilitating all government buildings, which number more than 6,000 buildings, in stages according to the established plan.

He pointed out that the private sector, which rehabilitates government buildings, finances and recovers what it spent, along with a reasonable profit margin, within 10 years.