Chandigarh: To stay abreast of advancing technology, the Punjab government is considering establishing a center of excellence (COE) for expanding the state’s electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.
Aman Arora, Minister of New and Renewable Energy Sources stated that he has held discussions with stakeholders such as transport, PWD, technical education and industrial training, investment promotion, skill development, tourism, PSPCL, housing and urban development, and local government.
He directed the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) to collaborate with IIT-Ropar to establish a center of excellence (COE) for skill development, training, education, standards testing, and battery technology enhancement, as well as to form a working group of state government administrative secretaries to ensure the smooth and streamlined implementation of the electric vehicle policy.
Arora stated that the state government will reach the aim of 25% electric vehicle adoption by 2025, highlighting the importance of integrating all stakeholder departments in the implementation of EV policy in the state. It is critical to developing an accessible and resilient network of EV charging infrastructure in order to make the transition to e-mobility. This will not only move the state one step closer to its net-zero aim but will also aid in the country’s transport sector’s innovation.
Tejveer Singh, Principal Secretary (Power), informed the Cabinet minister that PSPCL will provide full support for the expedited approval of electrical connections to proposed EV charging stations in the state.
PEDA CEO Ravi Bhagat stated that there is a need for the integration of EV charging infrastructure with the inclusion of renewable energy sources, so that green power may be supplied to the EV charging stations in order to establish robust infrastructure in Punjab. New technologies for manufacturing EVs and quick-charging batteries will be pursued in collaboration with IIT-Ropar.
According to Isha Kalia, CEO of Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Company (PMIDC), the COE will operate as a bridge to establish a resilient e-charging infrastructure for the mainstream acceptance of electric vehicles in Punjab.
M P Singh, Director (PEDA), presented the necessity of using electric vehicles and the road map for expanding the state’s EV charging infrastructure.
The conference was attended by Chairman (PEDA) H S Hanspal, Director (Technical Education and Industrial Training) DPS Kharbanda, Joint Director (PEDA) Kulbir Singh Sandhu, and top personnel from GIZ, transport, PWD, and local government.
