close-up of electric vehicle charger plugged into a white electric vehicle

SV Clean Energy Issues Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan

New programs announced to increase EV charging throughout Santa Clara County

Sunnyvale, Calif. – Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) has released an Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Joint Action Plan (EVI Plan), which assesses and prioritizes future EV charging needs across local communities. It outlines new SVCE programs focused on deployment of charging infrastructure needed to sustain and accelerate rapid adoption of electric vehicles.

The EVI Plan describes six new programs – two focused on building a local electric vehicle charging ‘support ecosystem’ and four focused on directly deploying infrastructure:

Silicon Valley Transportation Electrification Clearinghouse (SVTEC) Regional convenings of key EVI stakeholders focused on information sharing and attracting external funding to the SVCE community
Regional EV Leadership Recognition Recurring recognition for best practices in EV infrastructure deployment at local businesses, educational institutions and public agencies
Priority Zone Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) Competitive solicitation to fund DCFC in SVCE-designated “priority zones”, including support for nearby Multi-Unit Dwelling (MUD) properties
Multi-Unit Residential Charging Technical Assistance Technical assistance and rebates for shared Level 2 charging onsite at MUD properties
Workplace Charging Rebates Level 2 charging rebates, focused primarily on small/medium businesses and mixed-use locations
Fleet Electrification Grants Competitive solicitation for fleet electrification planning support and funding for site upgrades

“As a public agency dedicated to reducing use of fossil fuels and reinvesting in our community, we have been eager to make a significant impact towards advancing electric transportation in our communities,” says Margaret Abe-Koga, SVCE Board Chair. “With this plan we are focusing our efforts and funding to the places that need the most help with EV adoption. We look forward to realizing the impact our new investments will have in the years ahead.”

While sales of EVs in the Silicon Valley region are higher than the rest of the country, wider adoption of EVs is needed to meet local and state climate goals. The EVI Plan is the result of significant research and input from many local residents, businesses, organizations and agencies that participated in stakeholder workshops, as well as customer surveys.

SVCE recently partnered with the California Energy Commission (CEC) as part of the California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CALeVIP), which works with local community partners to develop and implement regional incentive projects for charging infrastructure that supports the adoption of EVs statewide. The CEC’s proposed CALeVIP investment for Santa Clara and San Mateo counties is $33 million working through a regional partnership with Peninsula Clean Energy, San Jose Clean Energy, City of Palo Alto Utilities and Silicon Valley Power.

The SVCE Board of Directors committed to match the CEC’s CALeVIP funding of $6 million directed to the SVCE territory for a total of $12 million in CALeVIP for SVCE customers. In total, the SVCE Board of Directors has dedicated $8 million in program funds towards EV initiatives over the course of four years, which includes the CALeVIP match. Funding for EVI investment leveraging CALeVIP funding is expected to begin in spring 2020 and span two to four years.

“With the EV infrastructure plan, SVCE will be leveraging our program investments with external funds and harnessing strong regional partnerships to make access to EV charging much more prevalent for our communities,” says Girish Balachandran, SVCE CEO. “SVCE’s commitment to innovation is also an opportunity to unlock new technologies and strategies that will further increase EV adoption.”

Additionally, to complement the EVI Plan’s foundational investments, the next SVCE Innovation Onramp application cycle will prioritize piloting innovative mobility solutions that take a higher-risk, higher-reward approach. Innovation Onramp is an SVCE program that engages Silicon Valley’s ‘innovation ecosystem’ in addressing key technical, market and policy barriers to achieving deep decarbonization, locally and beyond. The program offers two stages of grant funding for proof of concept ($10,000 – $75,000) and funding for demonstrations ($50,000 – $100,000).

The full EVI Joint Action Plan is available here.

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About Silicon Valley Clean Energy
Silicon Valley Clean Energy is a community-owned agency serving the majority of Santa Clara County communities, acquiring clean, carbon-free electricity on behalf of more than 270,000 residential and commercial customers. As a public agency, net revenues are returned to the community to keep rates competitive and promote clean energy programs. Member jurisdictions include Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Saratoga, Sunnyvale and unincorporated Santa Clara County. SVCE is guided by a Board of Directors, which is comprised of a representative from the governing body of each member community. For more information, please visit SVCleanEnergy.org.

 

Media Contact
Pamela Leonard
Communications Manager
O: 408-721-5301 x1004
pamela.leonard@svcleanenergy.org