New funding programmes, tools and products presented at the BMDV’s charging infrastructure conference

The “Charging Infrastructure Conference 2023” (“Ladeinfrastruktur-Konferenz 2023”) of the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV – Bundesministerium für Digitales und Verkehr), which is taking place today in Berlin, is entirely devoted to the Federal Government’s Charging Infrastructure Master Plan II. The host, Dr. Volker Wissing, Federal Minister for Digital and Transport, is welcoming more than 600 guests on site as well as additional participants who can tune in to the fully booked event via a live stream.

Speaking at the conference, Federal Minister Wissing is announcing new funding activities by the BMDV for charging infrastructure. The launch of two new funding programmes is planned for the coming weeks and months: One programme is aimed at supporting self-power supply for charging in private residential buildings through the combined funding of charging station, photovoltaic system and energy storage. This programme is to be provided with funding of up to 500 million euros. Another funding offer will provide financial support for the development of fast-charging infrastructure including grid connection for the operation of commercially used cars and trucks. A total of up to 400 million euros has been earmarked for this in the budget.

During three sessions at the charging infrastructure conference, panelists will be discussing the successes and challenges of setting up charging infrastructure, municipalities as key players and the charging of e-trucks. The National Centre for Charging Infrastructure will also present its latest products, including its “Easy e-truck charging” (“Einfach E-Lkw laden”) publication, a new thematic page on charging infrastructure for e-trucks, the third course of the e-learning platform LadeLernTOOL, the “Easy charging without obstacles” (“Einfach laden ohne Hindernisse”) guide for barrier-free charging infrastructure, and data monitoring in the future Deutschlandnetz (German network). It further provides an outlook on the upcoming “Local Master Plans” (“Lokal Masterpläne”) web application and a large-scale study on private charging at residential buildings in Germany. On behalf of the BMDV and under the umbrella of the federally owned NOW GmbH, the National Centre for Charging Infrastructure plans and supports activities to expand charging infrastructure in Germany.

Dr. Volker Wissing, Federal Minister for Digital and Transport: “Infrastructure policy is essentially always future policy. That is why I am pleased to be able to join the various stakeholders today at the BMDV’s Charging Infrastructure Conference to chart the path to tomorrow’s mobility. With the implementation of the Charging Infrastructure Master Plan II, the dovetailing of charging infrastructure and electricity grid expansion as well as the important groundwork on battery-electric trucks, we have already achieved significant milestones over the course of the past year.”

The conference underscores the pivotal importance of the development of a nationwide, demand-oriented and user-friendly charging infrastructure for the success of electric mobility. It is aimed at decision-makers at the EU, federal, state and local levels, as well as companies, in particular from the (vehicle) industry, energy supply, grid operation and from the area of operation and production of charging infrastructure, and a broad specialist public.

The panellists will include: Daniela Kluckert, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Digital and Transport and BMDV Commissioner for Charging Column Infrastructure; Johannes Pallasch, Spokesperson for the management team of the National Centre for Charging Infrastructure; Linda Boll, Country Manager Germany, Fastned B.V.; Barbie Kornelia Haller, Vice President of the Bundesnetzagentur (Germany’s Federal Network Agency); Dr. Stefan Fassbinder, Lord Mayor of the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald; Renate Deniffel, Mayor of the Wildpoldsried “energy community”; and Alexander Junge, Member of the Board of ARAL AG. The international keynote will be dedicated to the challenges of setting up charging infrastructure in Austria. Philipp Wieser, Head of OLÉ – Austria’s Electric Mobility Coordination Centre, presents the neighbouring country’s expansion strategy in the field of charging infrastructure and draws a comparison with Germany. Kurt-Christoph von Knobelsdorff, CEO and spokesperson of NOW GmbH will close the conference with a look ahead.

Johannes Pallasch, Spokesperson for the Management Team of the National Centre for Charging Infrastructure: “We have entered a new phase in the ramp-up of electric mobility. Many people who now buy an e-car have neither studied this still relatively new technology intensively beforehand, nor do they have much desire to do so after the purchase. And that is their absolute prerogative. As the National Centre for Charging Infrastructure, we are working on behalf of the BMDV to make the charging experience as easy as possible for these people, true to the motto: ‘Easy charging. That is our mission’. Furthermore, a substantial amount of work is coming up particularly on the topic of e-trucks, where we virtually need to accelerate almost from 0 to 100 in order to pave the way for the industry to become climate-neutral.”

The following current offers will be presented by the National Centre for Charging Infrastructure at the conference:

• The new “Easy e-truck charging. A User Journey at Public Charging Stations Now and in 2030” guide (“Einfach E-Lkw laden. Eine User Journey an öffentlichen Ladestationen jetzt und 2030”), which presents the public charging of battery-electric trucks along the four steps of route planning, reservation, charging and “all around charging”.
• A new thematic page on the charging infrastructure for e-trucks
• A new course on the LadeLernTOOL learning platform. This third course takes a closer look at the role of municipalities and provides an overview of the municipal instruments for action and the legal framework.
• The “Easy charging without barriers. Requirements for barrier-free charging infrastructure” guide (“Einfach laden ohne Hindernisse. Anforderungen an barrierefreie Ladeinfrastruktur”).

The conference is being recorded and will be made available on NOW GmbH’s Youtube channel after the event.