Pilot in select states and regions kicks off a national DOE-funded initiative with Upper Midwest roots
MINNEAPOLIS — Today, the Great Plains Institute (GPI) and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) announced the launch of Charging Smart designation program that prepares and recognizes communities for electric vehicle (EV) readiness. Charging Smart is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office.
The program provides personalized, no-cost technical assistance to help municipalities set and achieve policies that facilitate the equitable expansion of EVs and EV charging infrastructure in their community. By helping local governments adopt nationally recognized EV best practices, Charging Smart will increase access to charging stations and other essential components of EV infrastructure. This includes reducing EV charger costs and increasing the number of EVs in the community through streamlining policies to avoid unnecessary burdens.
Charging Smart is launching a pilot phase that adds local governments in the states of Colorado, Virginia and the regions of North Texas and Southern California to the work already underway in the Upper Midwest. It will be made available to communities throughout the U.S. in the future.
“We are thrilled to launch this new program that will increase access to electric vehicles and spur sustainable development in communities across the country,” said Toyah Callahan, vice president, Local Initiatives at the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. “This pilot phase in select states is the first step in our work to bring EV-friendly policies to local governments across the country, helping everyone access the clean transportation of the future.”
The launch comes after a developmental phase led by GPI in Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio and Native nations across the Midwest. Through this phase, GPI provided a transparent process for local governments to set goals, identify options and adopt tested and standardized strategies related to transportation electrification. Cohorts of communities are still engaged in this work to support and empower communities as they equitably prepare to achieve their EV-readiness goals. This work is funded by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, General Motors and the McKnight Foundation.
“The Great Plains Institute worked with over 50 communities across Minnesota, Michigan, and Ohio through the developmental phase of the program,” said Lola Schoenrich, vice president of the Communities team at GPI. “We find the cohort-based model is valuable, particularly for rural and small communities. We look forward to bringing our experience providing context-specific technical assistance and other best practices to communities across the nation through Charging Smart!”
The new readiness program is modeled on another successful Department of Energy community readiness program, SolSmart, in which GPI is also a long-time partner. SolSmart offers expert technical assistance at no cost to help local governments adopt nationally recognized best practices to advance solar energy development. Since launching in 2016, SolSmart has helped over 500 local governments and their residents save time and money by reducing the soft costs of going solar. Independent research found that SolSmart-designated communities, on average, increased solar installations by 17 percent per month compared to non-designated communities.
Increasing EV access brings numerous other economic and health benefits, including lower emissions, improved air quality, reduced noise pollution and job growth. Local governments that achieve certain metrics through Charging Smart are awarded Bronze, Silver or Gold designations, a public recognition of their status as an EV-friendly community.
An outstanding group of partners joins GPI and IREC in implementing Charging Smart, including RMI, the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, Drive Clean Colorado, Long Beach Clean Cities, North Central Texas Council of Governments, and Virginia Clean Cities.
Visit ChargingSmart.org for full details on the Charging Smart program, along with information on how eligible communities can participate.
Contact
Drew Henry
612-429-1222
[email protected]
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About Great Plains Institute (GPI): A nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, the Great Plains Institute (GPI) accelerates the transition to net-zero carbon emissions for the benefit of people, the economy, and the environment. Working across the US, we combine a unique consensus-building approach, expert knowledge, research and analysis, and local action to find and implement lasting solutions. Our work strengthens communities and provides greater economic opportunity through the creation of higher-paying jobs, expansion of the nation’s industrial base, and greater domestic energy independence while eliminating carbon emissions.
Learn more at www.betterenergy.org.
About IREC: The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) builds the foundation for rapid adoption of clean energy and energy efficiency to benefit people, the economy, and our planet. Its vision is a 100% clean energy future that is reliable, resilient, and equitable. IREC develops and advances the regulatory reforms, technical standards, and workforce solutions needed to enable the streamlined integration of clean, distributed energy resources. IREC has been trusted for its independent clean energy expertise for over 40 years, since its founding in 1982.
For more information, visit https://www.irecusa.org/.
