The Regional Director for Energy stated that the Azores are one of the regions of the country with the highest number of public fast charging stations installed per inhabitant, registering more than six infrastructures per 100 thousand inhabitants, a higher figure compared to other regions of the country. According to her, it reflects the strong commitment of the Regional Government to electric mobility, being “one of the priorities and most striking measures of this legislature in the area of energy.” 

Andreia Carreiro noted that, in the case of Madeira, there are about three fast charging stations per 100 thousand inhabitants and, in the case of Mainland Portugal, there is approximately one for the same number of people.
 
The Regional Director spoke at the online session of Meetings with Energy Efficiency, broadcast live on the Facebook page of the Azores Energy Portal, stressing that, as of Thursday, the public access network of electric vehicle charging stations promoted by the Regional Government includes 26 stations.
 
As she added, in some cases, the necessary commissioning tests are taking place so that the charging infrastructures become all available, which will happen “very soon.” 

"This network safeguards the comprehensive and balanced coverage of all islands and municipalities," Andreia Carreiro, stressing that "it fulfils the needs of Azorean citizens as they will have the possibility of charging their vehicles in situations of occasional need." 

“Electric mobility makes perfect sense globally as far as it is an effective energy efficiency measure in the land transport sector,” said the Regional Director. In this regard, she considered that “it is particularly relevant in the Azores because these islands have the ideal features for its implementation, considering the small daily average movements and the growing autonomy of electric vehicles.” 

In this context, she stressed that electric mobility contributes to the “decarbonised development of the Azores with respect for the environment, thereby reinforcing the Region's position as a sustainable destination and a nature product." 

At the Energy Efficiency Meetings session dedicated to electric mobility, besides the general overview of electric mobility in the Azores, the Regional Director presented the projects that the Region is promoting in this field. On the occasion, she considered that this is an “investment in the future, based on the development of emerging technologies and practices. They contribute, on the one hand, to a robust and decarbonised electrical system and, on the other hand, to the positioning of the Azores as a true "living lab" of disruptive solutions in the context of island territories."