Minister Geoffrey Wever announced that as part of the European Union’s Green Overseas Program, the German company Energynautics has begun a project to reduce CO₂ emissions by transitioning Aruba’s government vehicles to electric cars. The European Union has allocated €190,000 for the project, which is being managed by Expertise France, a company appointed by the EU to oversee implementation.
The main goal of the project is to help cut CO₂ emissions and reduce government expenses by implementing a transition plan to electrify the government fleet. Alongside this, the project will also prepare an acquisition plan for electric vehicles for government use and a waste management plan for electric car batteries in Aruba.
At the request of Minister Wever, the Council of Ministers approved the necessary research on June 28, 2022, to facilitate this full transition. Based on that decision, each department was instructed to switch to electric cars when their current lease agreements end. Agencies such as DEZHI, CBS, and Sedeco have already started the transition and received their electric vehicles, with ministries expected to follow soon.
According to Minister Wever, for Aruba to fully embrace sustainable energy, the electrification of society is essential. The government is taking a leading role by making its fleet 100% electric. This shift will reduce gasoline expenses, lower harmful emissions such as nitrogen oxides and fine particles that affect health, and decrease Aruba’s dependency on imported fossil fuels.
The collaboration between the European Union, NV Elmar, and the Government of Aruba is already delivering tangible results in accelerating the transition to electric vehicles. The EU has chosen Aruba as a pilot project, serving as a model for sustainability for other islands. Within a 10-month period, Energynautics will present its final results to the Government of Aruba.
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