Parties in the charging sector want to standardize the design of charging infrastructure components. This makes repair and refurbishment easier and more cost-efficient. This is one of the results of a sector meeting on December 3 in Arnhem. About 40 participants from the charging and circular sectors contributed to the Circular Charging Infrastructure Roadmap in the Netherlands.
Standardizing Components
The roadmap outlines an approach and concrete actions to ensure circular charging infrastructure. The roadmap is expected to be ready by spring 2026. What is needed to increase circularity? “Innovations in design are necessary, for example standardizing components and connection points. It also helps to consider circularity in legislation and procurement,” says Claire van der Hulst. She works at the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) on the Sustainable Mobility task and is a member of the roadmap product team.
Technically Feasible Opportunities
Van der Hulst continues: “There are already more technically feasible and affordable circular opportunities than many parties think. For example, there is already a business model for refurbishment, but it is not yet widely recognized or used. The December 3 meeting connected parties. It also encouraged them to jointly explore how to better utilize circular opportunities.”
Product Passport and Research on Charging Pole Parts
Chair of the roadmap product team Richard de Kam explains: “During the meeting, market parties directly explored collaborations to improve circularity solutions. For example, drafting a product passport for segments of the charging pole. This provides insight into the construction of the charging pole. It can contribute to preventive maintenance based on prediction and refurbishment. Another example is that parties jointly investigate what helps and encourages entrepreneurs to make their charging poles publicly accessible and share them with residents.”
Roadmap and Clear Actions as Next Step
The insights and results will be included in the final version of the roadmap. Then the charging and circular sectors and the government can start working. A second stakeholder meeting in spring 2026 will establish these action lines and projects for the roadmap.
Network Expands
Many parties want to work on this topic and the network of parties in the charging sector is expanding. “That’s great, because we have to do it together,” says Claire van der Hulst. The team that started the roadmap (RVO, National Knowledge Platform Charging Infrastructure, energy technology company Alfen, EV charger manufacturer Ecotap-Legrand, and Cenex Netherlands as representative of the EV industry association DOET) warmly welcomes new participants from the sector.
Would you like to contribute to the roadmap?
Do you work in the production of charging poles or components, are you an operator of charging infrastructure, or do you work on the repair or refurbishment of charging poles? Then your knowledge and experience are indispensable for the roadmap. Would you like to contribute and work? Then we would like to get in touch. We invite you to join the new meetings we organize.
For more information about the Circular Charging Infrastructure Roadmap or to participate, please send an email to Claire.vanderHulst@rvo.nl.