Goa invites bids to build 50 charging stations for EVs

PANAJI: The Government of Goa has invited bidders to build 50 charging stations for e-vehicles on design, built, operate, finance and transfer basis (DBOFT).

The Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA) will decide the locations of these charging stations after consulting with landowners and the bidders. 10 out of these stations have been reserved for the government’s start-up program. The infrastructure will be built according to the green energy building code, while only using renewable energy for all purposes. These charging stations have been planned to be installed at malls, shopping complexes, cinema halls, offices, institutional buildings, hospitals, restaurants, colleges, petroleum outlets, etc. The government will also install stations on private properties with public access.

A senior official from the government has said that because of high vehicle density owing to large tourist influx leads to increased carbon dioxide emission. Therefore, an effective EV infrastructure will help the state reduce carbon emission. The revenue collected will be split equally with GEDA in accordance with the Goa EV Concessional Charging Infrastructure Policy, 2021, which was announced in December 2021. 20 per cent of GEDA’s fees will be split with the land-owning organisation, with the remaining 80 per cent going to the Goa Decarbonisation Fund.