USA: Maine approves $500k for EV charging stations
In the USA, Maine Public Utilities Commission has approved four pilot projects to manage $500,000 dollars in incentives towards EV charging stations across the state. Central Maine Power and Efficiency Maine Trust (EMT) were chosen for the four pilot projects that should inform future policies to support EV deployment in Maine.
For the installation of charging points, CMP will use $4,000 to supply components while they expect the customer to install the meter, whereas Efficiency Maine will simply offer customers a rebate. Both will have $4000 allocated per charging station in either rebates or equipment, which amounts to 60 Level 2 chargers for a total of $240,000 for each pilot. The proposals are for Level 2 charging stations that take several hours to charge an electric car.
The two other pilot projects concern communication and Level 3 charger incentives. CMP will be running a rate design program in their service territory to reduced demand charges and encourage the installation of level 3 EV charging stations. EMT will be taking care of a communication program involving how-to manuals and a series of instructional videos as well as 20 show-and-tell events across the state. This pilot will have a budget of $55,050.
There were some criticisms of the scheme, specifically for the choice of focus on Level 2 chargers. “The approved pilots are a welcome step toward making it easier for Mainers to move toward electric cars and trucks, but they fall short of what was proposed and what is needed,” said Sue Ely, staff attorney with the Natural Resources Council of Maine. “Unfortunately, the [commission] rejected CMP’s $2 million proposal to support 32 new DC fast-charging ports over the next several years.”
Level 3 chargers can charge a car up to 80% in around 20 minutes. Since the pilots do have some focus on Level 3 chargers, though to a lesser degree, it remains to be seen what will be decided in the future depending on the results produced by the pilot projects.
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