Electromobility: opportunities and risks
What significance does the topic of electromobility have for you?
Dr. Paul Beinhofer: Mobility is something we take for granted today. It is not only a basic need, but also an essential basis for economic growth, prosperity and personal freedom. However, an increasing need for mobility is also associated with negative phenomena that local communities have to contend with, such as pollution, traffic noise or congested roads. If the energy transition is to succeed as a project for society as a whole, efficient, climate-friendly and affordable means or infrastructure of transportation must also be provided. Electromobility in particular can make a not inconsiderable contribution to reducing CO2 emissions. Because with the use of renewable energy, electromobility is considered particularly climate-friendly.
Where do you think there are still major hurdles and how could they be removed?
Dr. Paul Beinhofer: For the acceptance of electromobility, a universally accessible charging infrastructure that works everywhere will be of particular importance. Here it is important to coordinate the choice of location of various charging points as closely as possible, so that ultimately a close-meshed and comprehensive network is created. In addition to providing funding to expand the charging infrastructure, counties, regional management initiatives or intercultural alliances can also play an important coordinating role here. The district of Würzburg, for example, has initiated a project to develop a district-wide charging infrastructure, incidentally also with financial participation. The district government also supports cooperation between the municipalities. Through our expert talks on electromobility - with competent support from Bayern Innovativ - we strengthen municipal competence in the field of electromobility and provide a forum with expert lectures and practical examples for the exchange of experiences.
Electromobility in rural areas
What opportunities does the public sector have to further advance electromobility?
Dr. Paul Beinhofer: The public sector should also act as a role model. In particular, the procurement is an important tool to push the market introduction of electric vehicles. In Lower Franconia, several municipalities and district offices have already integrated electric cars into their fleets and have had very good experiences. I am thinking, for example, of the district office in Miltenberg, where the administrative staff now use electric cars or hybrid vehicles extensively for business trips. We, too, have taken a fast-charging station from the government of Lower Franconia and added an electric car to our fleet. I also see various measures at the federal level. For example, the federal legislature has already provided numerous incentives in favor of electromobility, such as the so-called environmental bonus or the expected charging station subsidy program with 300 million euros. In addition to financially effective measures, the Electromobility Act was already passed in 2015 for the labeling and privileging of e-cars in road traffic. This allows municipalities to give preference to electrically powered vehicles, for example in parking and access restrictions. But the charging pillar ordinance also provides our municipalities with a clear framework and helps them invest in the right direction.
Are such efforts enough to establish electromobility?
Dr. Paul Beinhofer: These are important individual steps, also to reduce fear of contact. But a widespread use of e-vehicles makes high demands in particular on the interfaces between energy supply, vehicle technology and application. Significant contributions to climate protection will only be realized if the various traffic flows and carriers are conceptually linked. Here, too, our municipalities are already taking action. The city of Würzburg, for example, is currently implementing a concept for linking different mobility services with its "mobility stations". At central streetcar stops, citizens can access local public transport, cabs, rental bikes or car sharing. Ultimately, electromobility can only be one component of the solution to the conflict between the need for mobility and the scarcity of resources. It is therefore important not only to focus on individual transport, but also to keep an eye on local transport. Here, for example, the Bad Neustadt a.d. Saale municipal utility in Lower Franconia is leading the way. After a successful trial phase, a fully electric bus is expected to be in regular operation there in May.
Electromobility and the economy
How do you assess the economic opportunities and risks of electromobility?
Dr. Paul Beinhofer: As the technology of the future, electromobility naturally also has an industrial policy significance with significant impetus for the direction of the industrial landscape. Germany as a strong exporting country should also maintain its leading position worldwide with highly innovative products in electromobility. With a large number of supplier companies, automotive manufacturing represents a significant pillar of our value creation in Lower Franconia. As a strongly technology-oriented region, companies here are particularly dependent on innovations. An efficient industry and a strong research landscape - such as we have here - provide good starting conditions for expanding this position. In Bad Neustadt a.d. Saale, Bavaria's first model city for electromobility, the topic of electromobility was anchored in Lower Franconia at an early stage. Today, we have a high density of expertise in this field in the administrative district. With the Electromobility Technology Transfer Center in Bad Neustadt a.d. Saale, or with the Fraunhofer Institutes for Silicate Research and the Bavarian Center for Applied Energy Research in Würzburg, strong research partners are represented here. In addition to the well-known supplier companies in the automotive industry, we have also found a home for young, innovative companies that develop and produce, for example, system components for electric drives and battery storage systems. Active participation in the further development and spread of electromobility thus offers our region not only ecological but also economic opportunities.
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