By Akanimo Sampson
Total, a French oil major, has been awarded Europe’s largest concession contract for Electric Vehicles (EV) charging by the ‘Metropolitan Region Amsterdam Electric’ (MRA-Electric).
Under the contract deal, Total will install and operate up to 20,000 new public charging points in the Netherlands, in the three provinces of North-Holland, Flevoland and Utrecht*.
Total is, however, a major energy player that produces and markets fuels, natural gas and low-carbon electricity. The company which is also operating in the Niger Delta, the oil and gas basin of Nigeria is boasting that its100,000 employees are committed to better energy that is safer, more affordable, cleaner and accessible to as many people as possible.
Total is also active in more than 130 other countries. Though its ambition is to become the responsible energy major, the project is however, a cooperation of governments in the region aimed at stimulating electromobility in the three provinces North-Holland, Flevoland and Utrecht and the municipalities within these provinces.
About 3.2 million people, more than 18 percent of the population in the Netherlands, live within this region. It is the country’s most robust economic region.
This new contract intends to address the fast growing demand for public Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points in the Netherlands. This EV charging network covers a population of 3.2 million inhabitants and around 15% of the current Netherlands EV charging demand.
In Netherlands, Total is already the main EV charging operator in the MRA-Electric region, with over 4 500 public charging points under operation and accessible to the public.
The size of this new contract, the largest ever in Europe, is the logical resultant of the success of the existing EV charging solutions available in the MRA, combined with Total’s expertise in installation, operations and management of public EV charging networks.
Total Nederland N.V. coordinates the marketing, distribution and sale of fuels and lubricating oil products in the Netherlands. The company has around 200 employees. In the Netherlands, the TOTAL network currently has around 350 service stations. In addition, Total sells fuels to traders and business end users. Lubricants are marketed under the TOTAL, ELF and TOTAL AGRI brands.
As part of this concession contract, the electricity supplied by Total Netherlands to the EV charging network will be 100 % sourced from renewable power (Solar, Wind…) and produced in the country. Total Netherlands has additionally pledged to gradually source part of it from the MRA region itself, enabling EV drivers to charge their electric vehicles with locally-generated and sustainable energy. Total Netherlands will also study new solar power production opportunities in the MRA region.
In addition, Total will develop and implement smart charging technologies allowing both a stable grid management at times of high electricity consumption as well as efficient and sustainable charging when cost of energy is more affordable.
“We are happy to have been awarded the largest pulic Electric Vehicle charging contract in Europe by ‘Metropolitan Region Amsterdam Electric,” highlights Alexis Vovk, President for Marketing & Services and Member of the Executive Committee at Total.
“By combining the experience and legacy of our team in the Netherlands -formally PitPoint Clean Fuels**– with the expertise of Total in EV charging and in Solar Power, we were able to present an innovative offer fitting the needs of both the MRA-Electric and the future users.
“For Total, providing the Dutch EV drivers with such reliable charging infrastructure and services, powered by clean and renewable electricity, is a significant and unprecedented step toward sustainable mobility. It is in line with our ambition to operate 150,000 charging point by Europe by 2025 and to become a major player in the electric mobility business.’’
Project Manager for ‘Electric Mobility’ at the Metropolitan Region of Amsterdam, Maarten Linnenkamp, declares: “Thanks to the project approach of Metropolitan Region Amsterdam Electric (MRA-E), governments and private companies, we can work together and stimulate electric transport. Together on the way to clean air!’’
* With the exception of the municipalities of Amsterdam and Utrecht
** As of January 1st 2020, PitPoint’s offerings have been merged into Total.
