Peninsula Clean Energy launches $28 mil EV infrastructure program

by Taelor Bentley
APPA News
October 13, 2020

California community choice aggregator Peninsula Clean Energy recently launched a $28 million effort to install electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure at commercial workplaces, multi-family dwellings and other public locations.

The program, EV Ready, is the largest EV charging infrastructure program tied to a single CCA, Peninsula Clean Energy said.

EV Ready plans to install 3,500 charging ports in San Mateo County over the next four years. The effort includes $24 million in project incentives and $4 million towards free technical assistance for eligible properties, support of workforce development in the county and other assorted costs, the CCA noted in a news release.

The $24 million in project incentives includes $12 million from Peninsula Clean Energy and $12 million from the California Energy Commission (CEC) under the California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CALeVIP).

CALeVIP is a state-funded EV charging infrastructure program that works with local community partners to develop and implement regional incentive projects for charging infrastructure that supports EV adoption statewide.

 That broader CALeVIP Peninsula-Silicon Valley effort will also include $36 million in incentives that will be disbursed in partnership with four Santa Clara County agencies – Silicon Valley Clean Energy, San Jose Clean Energy, Silicon Valley Power and the City of Palo Alto Utilities.

The EV Ready Program includes free technical assistance for eligible properties to support project design, equipment discounts, bidding and contractor selection. The program will offer advanced design strategies which support more EVs at lower cost, including Level 1 and power-manager Level 2 charging ports. Properties receiving technical assistance will also have access to preferential pricing for EV charging stations.

The initial phase of incentives supports multi-family properties and low-power workplace solutions. The second phase of incentives supporting DC Fast Charging and Level 2 charging at a broader range of properties will come with the opening of the CALeVIP Peninsula-Silicon Valley Incentive Project on December 16, 2020.

San Mateo County is expected to have more than 45,000 EVs by 2025. Peninsula Clean Energy said it is committed to utilizing a skilled workforce in an effort that is anticipated to result in more than 400 projects.

In addition, Peninsula Clean Energy’s technical assistance will assist San Mateo County facilities in securing additional incentives from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s Charge! Program when applications open later in the fall.  Peninsula Clean Energy already has offered incentives for the purchase and lease of new EVs and instituted a program to help low-income residents purchase a used EV.

The American Public Power Association has initiated a new category of membership for community choice aggregation programs