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The Charge Leader Program
by Livingston Energy Group
Getting all of America's Communities on the Map...Together.
Objectives
We believe it is critical to support America's communities in coordinating the installation of electric vehicle infrastructure to meet the increasing demands in this steadily growing market. Our Charge Leader Program intends to connect our focus communities to the national network by utilizing various funding sources made available for this very purpose and designed to help people across the country to reach their climate goals.
Livingston Energy Group considers the core objectives of the program in two distinct categories:​
Network Expansion & Inclusion Goal
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Including the nation's key communities in the expansion of publicly available Level 2 and DCFC networks using available funding
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Partnering with private and public organizations to effectively plan charging infrastructure for maximal community and driver benefit
Connected Communities Goal
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Supporting EV ownership and attracting new drivers to the community
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Leveraging charging infrastructure by engaging local organizations and businesses with driver groups and rewards programs
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Providing municipal leaders with economic and community activity insights resulting from a network utilization
Program Plan
Livingston Energy Group is deploying its Charge Leader Program as part of the NYSERDA's DCFC Program, aspiring to encourage more travelers to drive with EVs. Livingston aims to expand the area available for EV drivers to travel, making critical communities pertinent to infrastructure planning for these projects. Participation among leading municipalities sends a strong signal to other communities across the United States that it remains committed to ambitious climate goals such as reducing the country's carbon footprint and improving air quality by incorporating EV technology.
The process to allocate funding for potential Phase 1 projects will begin in February of 2021, and Livingston Energy Group is currently preparing the Phase 1 network plan based on communities expressing interest. Upon approval, participating communities are likely to obtain complete funding for their potential projects. To be considered for participation and funding, a letter of intent from the municipality will indicate a community's interest. Upon approval, Livingston will inform participating municipalities, at which time they can determine if and how they would like to proceed.
Phase 1 Projects
Livingston Energy Group will install several publicly available stations within the proposed communities of Phase 1. Regardless of whether the installation is on a government-owned property or non-government-owned property, charging stations will be accessible by users 24-hours per day, seven days per week for no less than 355 days per year. We are currently inviting communities to join for the initial funding round, although based on geography, different locations will be eligible for different funding programs and equipment types.
We intend for the fast-charging station installations to be a minimum of 75 kW per port, providing 75 kW in electrical power for EV charging, which typically charges a vehicle to 80% in approximately 20-30 minutes. Level 2 charging stations, stations that charge at lower power than fast charging equipment, will frequently be proposed in co-location with DCFC units and may also be sited strategically as destination charging locations.
Expected Outcomes
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the transportation sector accounts for 27% of the country's greenhouse gas emissions (1). As a result, the transportation sector's electrification is needed to meet climate goals outlined by the federal government and many state governments. Let's take a look at three different states and their plans to tackle climate change head-on. In the Northeast, the New York State Energy Plan (SEP) targets of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and 85 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 (2). Meanwhile, on the west coast, California's AB 32 Climate Change Scoping Plan outlines a plan for California to reduce GHG emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality no later than 2045 (3). Finally, in the south, North Carolina's Clean Energy Plan establishes a goal to reduce electric power sector GHG emissions by 70% below 2005 levels by 2030 and hit carbon neutrality by 2050 (4). Clearly, the deadlines for these goals are in the near future, which means that having a concrete plan is more pressing than ever before.
New York, California, North Carolina, and every other state must increase EV adoption to meet their transportation decarbonization and broad GHG reduction goals. To do so, the deployment of DCFC infrastructure is critical. Increased installation of DCFC infrastructure will help meet growing the needs of growing EV populations, counter range anxiety concerns, and accelerate EV adoption across the United States. Through this project, municipalities across the country will lead by example by providing DCFC stations for the general public. DCFC stations provide a viable charging option for people without the ability to charge at home, such as those who live in apartment buildings, and play a critical role in facilitating the electrification of ride-hailing fleets, including taxis, Uber, and Lyft, by offering a quick way for drivers to charge their EVs (5).
Among countless other benefits, installing publicly accessible EV charging stations adds resiliency to our communities and encourages drivers to switch to an EV while simultaneously boosting local economies, creating jobs, and reducing foreign oil reliance. Electric Vehicle Symposium, the largest international EV symposium and exhibition, has confirmed multiple social benefits, including but not limited to lowering healthcare costs, positive employment growth, and environmental benefits directly related to public health (6).
With the Charge Leader Project's implementation, the United States will ultimately accelerate EV adoption, providing numerous social and environmental benefits for every American.
REFERENCES
1. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks, https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/inventory-us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-sinks
2. S. 6599, A. 8429, New York State Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, 2019-2020 Regular Session (NY 2019), https://legislation.nysenate.gov/pdf/bills/2019/S6599.
3. California Air Resources Board, AB 32 Climate Change Scoping Plan, https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/ab-32-climate-change-scoping-plan
4. North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Clean Energy Plan, https://deq.nc.gov/energy-climate/climate-change/nc-climate-change-interagency-council/climate-change-clean-energy-plans-and-progress/clean-energy-plan
5. Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM), Accelerating Ride-Hailing Electrification: Challenges, Benefits, and Options for State Action, https://www.nescaum.org/documents/ride-hailing-electrification_white-paper_120220.pdf/.
6. Malmgren, I. Quantifying the Societal Benefits of Electric Vehicles, https://www.mdpi.com/2032-6653/8/4/996​
Resources
Included below are a number of resources pertaining to the Charge Leader Program.
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ElectrifyNY Municipal Toolkit. https://electrifyny.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/ElectrifyNY-Municipal-Toolkit_Nov-2020.pdf
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Electric Vehicle Cost-Benefit Analysis (MJB&A and NRDC). https://mjbradley.com/sites/default/files/NY_PEV_CB_Analysis_FINAL.pdf
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Why Municipalities Should Invest in Electric Vheicle Charging Infrastructure, Today (Otonomo). https://otonomo.io/blog/why-municipalities-should-invest-in-electric-vehicle-charging-infrastructure-today/
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NYSERDA Benefit-Cost Analysis of EV Deployment in NYS. https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/-/media/Files/Publications/Research/Transportation/19-07-Benefit-Cost-Analysis-EV-Deployment-NYS.pdf
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