Government

Energy leadership, environmental stewardship and opportunities for economic growth are spurring municipalities in the Greater Charlotte Region to prepare for the roll-out of PEVs.

Included here you’ll find information on the following:

 

OVERVIEW

With the arrival of the Nissan LEAF and Chevrolet Volt, the rising cost of gasoline, heightened interest in energy security and continued concerns about the environment, the use of electric vehicles is set to rise steadily. The push for clean, efficient automotive and energy infrastructure technologies demonstrated through the federal tax credit and goal of one million electric cars on the road by 2015 offers unique opportunities for economic growth in the advanced energy technologies industry.

As citizens and businesses look to add PEVs to the transportation mix over the next few years, municipalities will need to amplify local infrastructure, policy provisions and ordinances, training and public information to:

Implement regulatory policies and codes that efficiently and effectively allow for use of PEVs and electric vehicle service equipment (EVSE).

Educate residents, businesses and communities about PEV use and technology to overcome perceived barriers, such as “range anxiety,” maintenance concerns and having convenient access to charging opportunities.

Implement EVSE technology delivery for the public and partner to reduce market hurdles and accelerate technology deployment.

 
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REGULATORY POLICIES

Cities and towns have several roles in the EVSE arena regarding policies that promote safe and efficient implementation of electric vehicle infrastructure. Development regulations, codes and ordinances may need to be updated to support the widespread use of plug-in electric cars.

Two local examples include Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement Department and the City of Raleigh through Project Get Ready.

Home or Private Charging.

Most charging will be done at home or workplaces initially, requiring cities to address building and zoning codes for residences and buildings. If these locations are adding Level 2 EVSE (electrical vehicle service equipment), building codes may need to address wiring and disconnects for safety yet be flexible to keep cost savings.

There are national code requirements for installing a level 2 EVSE in a home:

Article 625 of the National Electric Code covers the requirements for construction and installation of electric vehicle supply equipment: All additions and/or modifications to residential or commercial premises wiring must be done according to local and national code requirements.

Permitting and inspection is up to the jurisdiction. Permitting will typically be handled by the electrical contractor hired to install the EVSE. Therefore having trained and qualified personnel and inspectors are a key aspect of streamlining PEV adoption and use.

Some useful resources and sample language:

  • The State of Washington has developed a comprehensive guide for local governments to implement policy, regulations, zoning and codes, with model language that jurisdictions may include in their adopting ordinances for electric vehicle infrastructure.
  • The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services Building Codes Division (BCD) has adopted an initial set of statewide standards for the design and installation and establish permitting and inspection requirements for the electric vehicle charging stations that apply statewide in every city and county.
  • A cooperative effort by the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) will train and certify electrical contractors and inspectors across the U.S on ESVE, with the Washington, DC Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committee (JATC) ready to offer training. And Underwriters Laboratory offers an online course in EV charging station installation.

Building codes and permitting for private installations in parking lots, multi-family dwellings, neighborhood distribution systems must include understanding the building- or local-load management as PEV charging will increase peak demand.

In addition, opportunities for charging are most appropriate in locations where drivers park for longer periods of time, including sports venues, hospital parking lots, retail stores, restaurants, cultural or recreation centers. There may be a role to partner with siting public/private charging stations or develop codes and policies for these locations, too.

Public charging.

Access to charging stations on-street and in public garages is important to expand charging opportunities as more vehicles are added to the transportation mix, and is vital for those who may not have a garage or ability to charge at work. Deciding where and how to install public charging stations is key to expanding local infrastructure and PEV technology.

Accessibility, allowed uses, ordinance definitions and enforcement of parking designated for PEVs at charging stations are all issues that may need to be addressed locally.

 
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ADDING PUBLIC CHARGING STATIONS

Locating

Currently in the Greater Charlotte Region, jurisdictions and public/private partnerships are deploying charging stations:

  • City of Gastonia installed station at Schiele Museum of Natural History
  • City of Charlotte planning to install 26 stations, Uptown Charlotte and CATS park-n-ride locations
  • Bank of America installed XX stations, Uptown Charlotte parking lots
  • Duke Energy installed 11 stations in the Mint Street Parking Deck as well as additional stations for their employees.
  • Planning to install stations: Wells Fargo (Uptown Charlotte), Charlotte-Douglas Airport
  • Station installed at Ritz Carlton Charlotte

Installing.

Local jurisdictions face a variety of steps in the installation of electric vehicle charging stations, which may include:

  • Trenching, Electrical panel box, Installation of Conduit, Inspection of Groundwork, Installation of Bracket Footing and Bollards, Installation of Charging Stations on Mounting Brackets, Testing of Charging Units, Final Inspection
  • See Local Projects Page for More Municipal Sample Projects

Equipment Costs.

ESVE equipment currently ranges from approximately $300 to $500 for non-intelligent stations and $1,800 to $5,000 per unit “intelligent” charging stations– those that capture and provide data about the use of the charging station. Software subscriptions may be required for an additional cost.

An initiative by the U.S. DOE plans to reduce the cost of intelligent ESVE by 50 percent over the next three years.

Manufacturers include Coulomb Technologies and the ChargePoint network, GoSmart Technologies, Greenlight, Minit Charger and Aerovironment. For Learn more about charging infrastructure in these two reports: Plug-in Electric Vehicle Infrastructure: A Foundation for Electrified Transportation and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Review

 
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UTILITY ISSUES

EV Rate Plans.

Local jurisdictions are working with utilities, EVSE and PEV manufacturers, and other local and national stakeholders to assess meeting the demand for vehicle-charging electricity safely and reliably as adoption of electric transportation expands.

Various types of PEV Rate plans are being explored based on time of use (TOU) and amount of electricity used. Tiered plans may be more complex than appear at the outset, such as providing off-peak rates at night (when demand is lowest), yet being charged at a “super peak” rate during the day, when load is also high (summer air conditioning and winter heating times). Or, if rates are increased the more electricity is used, causing a disincentive for PEVs ownership

In the greater Charlotte region, Duke Energy is working to ensure electric vehicle owners can charge their vehicles at the lowest price without affecting the reliability and stability of the power grid. Duke Energy’s residential EVSE program for the Carolinas is detailed at duke-energy.com.

Grid Performance and Sustainability.

Jurisdictions are working with utilities to ensure distribution infrastructure is sufficient to meet demand from the electric-vehicle market. Shifting vehicle charging load out of peak periods more efficiently uses the existing infrastructure.

Other critical issues involve charging habits, such as if everyone comes home at 5 pm and plugs in their PEV. There is a potential of overheating transformers due to increased loads, as certain neighborhoods with early adopters are likely to see much higher than average PEV densities and potential overloading. Multiple vehicles charging on a distribution system not properly sized for this type of usage could cause phase imbalances or voltage sags that may affect the surroundings.

Smart grid technologies may help utilities to better understand PEV charging needs and resources and optimize system use, enabling broader range for PEVs. Targeted load shaping enables opportunities to prioritize charging based on real-time grid conditions, location-specific grid stress or utility objectives.

Boosting Environmental Options Current research is underway by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Xcel Energy, and Gridpoint (formerly V2Green) for optimizing load and ultimately delivering dedicated “green” energy supplies to vehicles. Since a significant amount of energy for PEVs is be needed at night, this helps address renewable energy integration challenges since wind generation is greater at night.


 
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EMERGENCIES AND FIRST RESPONDERS

Having more all-electric vehicles on the roads creates new challenges for firefighters and first responders to deal with emergency situations involving PEVs. Training programs are already being rolled out to fire and safety departments (see links below).

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is developing a safety training program to help emergency first responders prepare for the growing number of electric vehicles on the road, and tow truck drivers and others may be trained for PEVs, too.

 
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POLICY/LEVERAGING PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS

Across the Country.

States across the country are making regulatory changes that support electric vehicles and emerging technologies. California has enabled the most public charging stations but other states are close behind. Connecticut is about to act on legislation intended to improve the infrastructure for electric cars, to require an update to state building codes to address electric car needs, develop a plan to promote electric car use, and encourage installation of charging stations.

Local Action.

CCFC is moving forward with a stakeholder effort for the greater Charlotte region to secure funding through the U.S. Department of Energy to continue to accelerate installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Funds are designated for communities to develop plans and strategies for EV deployment, update their EV permitting processes, develop incentive programs, or launch other local or regional initiatives that improve the experience of EV users and help bring these vehicles to the marketplace.

Vehicle Technologies Program

 
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PUBLIC INFORMATION

Local municipalities have an opportunity to partner with Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition (CCFC) to communicate with their communities, consumers and stakeholders about the progress of PEVs in the Greater Charlotte Region. GO4PEV is designed to be an umbrella outreach effort and used as a source of up-to-date information about what is happening locally with electric vehicle transportation.

Other opportunities to co-message about electric-drive transportation and PEVs can be created around Earth Day, other environmental fairs, special projects with schools or local nonprofits.

 
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Resources

Link to Resources