Singapore is aiming to increase usage of electric vehicles to help meet emission reduction targets agreed to at the Paris climate talks last December. According to a new electro-mobility roadmap study, the island city-state in Southeast Asia could achieve its goal of 50 percent electric vehicles by 2050 with the right policies in place. The Land Transport Authority-led study carried out by the Energy Research Institute at Nanyang Technological University found that increasing the use of electric vehicles to half of all cars on the road by 2050 would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 to 30 percent compared to a business as usual scenario.

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As part of the Paris climate agreement, Singapore pledged to reduce its emissions intensity by 36 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. The study, commissioned by the National Climate Change Secretariat and National Research Foundation, states that electrification of vehicles should start with taxis and public buses because taxis get the most mileage per vehicle and buses emit the highest amount of carbon pollution per vehicle. The report notes the importance of integrating renewable energy into the project. According to the National Climate Change Secretariat, by 2030 renewable energy could potentially contribute up to eight percent of Singapore’s peak electricity demand.

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The country is launching an electric vehicle car-sharing program in 2017 with an initial roll-out of 125 EVs and 250 charging stations. The car-sharing program will be developed and operated by BlueSG, a subsidiary of French firm Bollore Group. By 2020, a total of 1,000 electric cars will be available as well as 500 BlueSG stations and 2,000 charging points.

Singapore offers carbon rebates for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids that pass tests on CO2 emissions for the electricity generated to charge the cars. “We encourage the use of vehicles that are more environmentally-friendly, including electric cars,” said Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan in Parliament last May when he announced that Singapore will install 2,000 charging points for its electric vehicle car-sharing program.

Via Climate Action News

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