With the Project Power Surge the city has been installing charging points and provide funding for individuals, organizations and companies. Electric transport will significantly contribute to achieving the objective of reducing CO2 emissions by 50% by 2025, in comparison to 1990 levels.
The Rotterdam Climate Initiative (RCI) is Rotterdam‘s response to the challenges the Rijnmond region will face in the coming decades, and the economic opportunities this offers. RCI is a public-private partnership and serves as executive climate committee. It is an initiative of the city of Rotterdam, The Port of Rotterdam, Deltalinqs (as representative of the industrial companies in Rotterdam) and DCMR Environmental Protection Agency Rijnmond. The partners join forces with their associates to create a unique movement in which government, companies, knowledge institutes, other organizations, and citizens collaborate. For Project Power Surge, RCI works together with different Dutch organisations and companies such as the postal service TNT, energy company ENECO, financial parties and ministries. Rotterdam has the ambition to become a leading city in electric transport. This will improve air quality and reduce traffic noise, significantly improving the quality of life of Rotterdam‘s citizens. By 2025, the number of EVs should rise to as many as 200,000. 15% of all electric vehicles in the Netherlands will then be cruising around the Rotterdam region.
During the last years, there has been a significant increase in the number of electric bikes, scooters, cars, and even delivery vans and refuse collection vehicles in Rotterdam. Project Power Surge has been boosting these numbers, creating the right conditions to dramatically accelerate the introduction of electric transport. Furthermore, electric transport will significantly contribute to achieving the objective of reducing CO2 emissions by 50% by 2025, in comparison to 1990 levels.
The RCI participates in the C40 Climate Leadership Group, an alliance of 40 large cities from all over the world which collaborate on climate change issues.
Project Power Surge is part of the city’s plan to dedicate resources to the installation of sufficient charging points in the city. In addition, Rotterdam provides funding for the installation of the first 1,000 charging points for the benefit of private individuals, organizations, and companies that will purchase an electric vehicle. In order to make electric driving even more attractive, the city will offer an extra 1,000 free parking permits to store these vehicles for one year.
Project Power Surge boosts further development of electric transport. Initiators of innovative projects are encouraged and supported in many ways, for instance through support for experiments, the set-up of regulation-free zones, and the moral support of knowing that the municipal government itself actively participates in innovations and experiments.