Charge Ready NY 2.0 Newsletter

Discussion: Utility Involvement in Expanding EV Adoption

All programs mentioned below are separate from NYSERDA’s Charge Ready NY 2.0 program.

As EV adoption and demand for charging stations grow, utilities are expanding their efforts to assist customers in this transition. Acknowledging the potential financial hurdles of switching to an EV, many utilities now offer a range of rebates and programs to make electrification more accessible and affordable for individuals, businesses, and communities. To maximize impact, these rebates and programs are designed to target specific audiences, with corresponding awards and eligibility requirements. Under the New York Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Make-Ready Program [PDF] , participating utilities can provide:

• Commercial Project Infrastructure Support: assistance in the planning and implementation of the distribution, metering, infrastructure design, construction, and financing associated with the installation of EV charging infrastructure, as well as guidance in creating commercial programs for workplace charging, fleet charging, public charging, and multi-unit dwelling charging.
• Charger Rebates: rebates to cover the costs of equipment and labor associated with the installation of EV charging infrastructure for Level 2 and DCFC systems.

Many local New York utilities also provide:

• Demand Charge Rebate Programs: rebates of up to 50% of billed demand charges for commercial EV charging customers (example: NYSEG ).
• Residential Time-of-Use (TOU) Rates: rate structures that offer lower electricity costs during off-peak hours (such as overnight), saving EV drivers money on home charging. Residential Managed Charging programs can be found through the Joint Utilities of New York .

Explore your local utility's site to learn more about what they offer

Important Things to Discuss with Your Utility

Connect with your utility early on in your EV adoption planning! This helps them plan for your project and make any necessary service upgrades as soon as possible. These plans will be increasingly important as grid demand grows; working together can help keep electrical systems safe. Important details about your project to bring to the conversation include:

• Number, Type, and Size of Chargers: Are you installing one 19.2kW Level 2 charger or 20? Maybe a mix of two 350kW DCFC chargers and two 19.2kW Level 2 chargers? Having these details solidified is important so your utility can identify if there is enough existing capacity for the project or if upgrades are needed.
• Exact Location of the Chargers: If a new meter is required, your utility will need to determine whether there is room at the location to place that equipment without incurring extensive construction costs.
• Located in a Disadvantaged Community/Low-Income Community: If your chargers are installed in one of these communities, you may be eligible for additional program benefits or rebates.
• Project Timeline: Are you planning to start installing chargers in the next few months, or is this project slated for a year or two in the future?
• If You Plan to Install More Chargers in the Future: Depending on the utility, your utility may be able to future-proof the site, lowering total project costs by preparing for future buildout now.

Industry News

• A report recently released on the state of EV charging for multifamily housing concluded that with one in three U.S. households lacking the ability to charge at home, steps such as passing EV readiness ordinances and right-to-charge laws and building out curbside charging are critical. Open the interactive map to see how cities across the nation compare with charging access.