Iceland grants 151 million krónur for new EV charging stations

Iceland’s Climate and Energy Fund has awarded 151 million krónur in grants for 17 projects to expand the country’s electric vehicle charging network, mbl.is reported on Sunday. The projects will add 21 charging stations and 41 connectors.

Thirteen projects will install fast-charging stations, while four will install standard charging stations. The projects will be carried out in locations across Iceland.

The initiative is part of the government’s targeted measures in response to war-related developments in the Persian Gulf and rising oil prices, according to a statement from the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate.

The aim is to ensure that no more than 100 kilometres separates charging stations on Iceland’s main roads, and that every urban settlement has access to a fast-charging station. The government also wants as many Icelanders as possible to use domestic renewable energy instead of imported fossil fuels.

“Now is the right time to switch to an electric car,” Environment, Energy and Climate Minister Jóhann Páll Jóhannsson said. Replacing imported fuel with Icelandic energy would save tens of billions of krónur in foreign currency, strengthen Iceland’s energy independence and protect household finances from external fluctuations, he said.