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On 10 November, the European Parliament issued a study presenting the opportunities and challenges for the use and deployment of alternatives fuels infrastructure in the EU for heavy-duty vehicles. The current state of play and future needs are presented in the context of the ambitions of the Green Deal, the proposal for an Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation published mid-July 2021 as part of the Fit for 55 Package and the upcoming review of the TEN-T Regulation.

The study proposed several policy recommendations and guidance for further research, which are welcomed by CLECAT:

• Ensure sufficient power output is deployed for fast-charging, to achieve sufficiently short recharging times and reduce operational barriers; Higher minimum levels of power output (350 kW at urban nodes and >500 kW along TEN-T corridors) for charging infrastructure might be considered in the AFIR.
• Consider higher minimum requirement of charging stations for each SSTPAs.
• Further investigate the grid impact of the additional power production implied by the Fit for 55 proposals. Additionally, an impact assessment of the costs of grid adjustments should be conducted.
• Speed up the development of national policy frameworks, in order to test and possibly revise national policies before the review of the AFIR in 2030.
• Finally, sufficient support to local authorities should be provided, not only financially but also organisationally in terms of knowledge since progress will depend to a major extent on procurement procedures.

The study will be presented in a TRAN committee meeting which will take place on 15 November. MEPs will have the opportunity to discuss and comment on the findings, which will feed the negotiations on the proposals for the AFIR.

The executive summary is available here