Int-E-Grid: Powering Electromobility in Poland and Germany

In Poland and Germany, road transport is a major cause of GHG emissions and air pollution. To reduce these and to achieve climate neutrality, changes are required in the energy production sector, but also in transport. Electric Vehicle (EV) development is an opportunity to achieve improvements in the transport sector.

The establishment of electric mobility faces several challenges. Among them are a lack of capacities on legal regulations facilitating the development of E-mobility, the lack of technical experience and knowledge on business models, a lack of adequate network infrastructure, insufficient cooperation between actors, insufficient numbers of vehicle charging stations, and no common national standard for charging stations.

Through promoting electromobility among stakeholders, the project supports long-term changes in the energy mix, deployment of renewables in the targeted countries, and leads to reduction of CO2 emission.

The Int-E-Grid project was a response to the Katowice Partnership for Electric Mobility, which was adopted at COP24. The project created a platform for experts to collaborate, strengthened stakeholder motivation, and thus helped overcome existing challenges. Target groups include governments, municipalities, innovative companies, and environmental NGOs.

During the project implementation period, the platform promoted mutual learning so that experts could align their approaches and concepts, thereby reducing the cost of climate protection in the energy and transport sectors. Policy recommendations were then formulated. All measures were realized through high-level bilateral discussions and conferences, consultation with experts and partners, and a comprehensive analysis of current methods, technologies and trends. These measures strengthened the dialogue between the stakeholders and contributed to the support of the involved actors in overcoming the hurdles that currently still stand in the way of electromobility.

• Cross-sector and cross-border exchange: Between 2019 and 2021, a German-Polish network for the further development of electromobility was established, bringing together stakeholders from politics, business, science and civil society on a permanent basis for the first time. A total of 200 people took part in several meetings and workshops. The network continues to act as a bridge between national and municipal decision-makers as well as business and industry organisations and has made a significant contribution to making barriers to the expansion of electromobility visible and breaking them down.u 
• Regional impact in the Visegrád states: The project strengthened cooperation on electromobility in the Visegrád countries (V4). A study on the status and prospects of electromobility prepared as part of the project was presented to ministerial working groups in the V4 countries and served as a technical basis for discussions on regional strategies. At the suggestion of the then Polish Minister for Climate and Environment, Michał Kurtyka (term of office 2019-2021), the results were presented at the final meeting of the Polish V4 presidency - an important step in bringing electromobility into the political focus of the region. 
• Education and transparency: The Polish Electro Mobility Map is the first interactive nationwide tool with monthly updated data on electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. It made current developments visible and comprehensible to the public for the first time. After the project was completed, the tool was continued by the Polish Association for Alternative Fuels - an indication that the information provided is considered reliable, necessary and institutionally relevant. 
• Political basis for decision-making: The project results improved the planning and decision-making basis for Polish decision-makers, particularly in the area of grid expansion. The Forum Energii study used in the project analyses scenarios for electromobility development and their impact on the Polish distribution grids. It shows that the costs for grid adjustments are manageable and that CO₂ emissions and electricity demand can be reduced in parallel. These findings provide a concrete basis for investments in distribution grids and for the combined planning of charging infrastructure and photovoltaics