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Portugal's Attraction for Corporate Purchase Offices: MOBI.E Highlights Benefits

Portugal's Chief Procurement Officers (CPOs) reap advantages such as minimal investment and running costs, decreased fixed expenditures, and enhanced customer appeal for remaining competitive. Insights on minting success in the country are divulged by Luís Barroso, President of MOBI.E, in an...

Portugal Investment Benefits Highlighted by MOBI.E for Chief Procurement Officers
Portugal Investment Benefits Highlighted by MOBI.E for Chief Procurement Officers

Portugal's Attraction for Corporate Purchase Offices: MOBI.E Highlights Benefits

Portugal's electric mobility market has experienced significant growth in recent years, becoming a reference model for many European countries, particularly Spain. This growth is mainly due to competitive advantages and facilities available to charging point operators (CPOs) under the MOBI.E model.

With more than 9,300 charging points across the country, as of the latest published figures, Portugal boasts 5,209 publicly accessible charging stations. The focus is on high-power charging stations, with 37.8% of the network consisting of fast and ultra-fast charging stations.

One key factor contributing to this growth is the separation of functions between the energy manager and marketer, allowing CPOs to focus on managing stations without high fixed costs associated with electricity supply. This model also enables CPOs to install more charging stations at a lower cost, as they do not manage the energy.

The MOBI.E management platform establishes a direct connection with the energy sector, allowing the deduction of energy consumed in electric mobility from the total supply, creating a specific electricity market for electromobility. This data access allows CPOs to improve their planning and offer better services to clients.

In August 2023, 583,000 recharges were made on the MOBI.E network, an increase of 66% compared to the same period in 2022. The AFIR directive has been complied with ahead of schedule due to full access to data.

The existence of a single distribution network operator in Portugal simplifies the connection and power management of the stations, allowing them to better plan their investments. The MOBI.E model also benefits energy marketers (eMSPs) by providing an expanded market where they can sell energy not only at public stations but also at private facilities.

The CPOs do not pay for peak demand charges due to a mechanism for segregating energy consumption, allowing for the installation of more high-capacity charging stations. This model acts as an incentive for operators to set up "refuelling" locations, as fixed costs are relatively low despite possible low utilization in a low demand context.

Users can be informed in real time about the availability, enabled power, and use of the chargers through MOBI.E's website. This transparency encourages competition in the sector and generates confidence among users.

By the end of September 2024, more than 4,264,000 charging sessions had been completed. The mission of MOBI.E is to advance the mobility transition through systemic thinking, integration, and targeted bundling of competencies, aiming to build a resilient, sustainable, and future-proof mobility system by networking different fields of expertise from mobility planning to infrastructure and digitalization.

Grid interoperability is a key factor in the growth of Portugal's electricity market. The MOBI.E model, with its focus on a single distribution network operator and a direct connection with the energy sector, has played a significant role in achieving this interoperability.

With the growth in the electric mobility market, Portugal is well on its way to becoming a leader in sustainable transportation solutions, setting an example for other countries to follow.

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