Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that utilities can fully implement New York’s revolutionary electric vehicle infrastructure program known as “EV Make-Ready,” which will deploy more than 50,000 new public and commercial Tier 2 charging ports across the state by 2025, increasing the number of non-residential charging ports in New York State by more than ten in four years.

The announcement follows the approval by the State Civil Service Commission of the accounting rules by which all major New York State investor-owned utilities – Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc., New York State Electric & Gas Corporation, National Grid, Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. and Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation – may continue to operate the program.

“New York is leading the country in clean energy innovation to tackle climate change and bring environmental justice to affected communities, and today’s decision brings us closer to a better future.” green and emission-free ” Governor Hochul said. “The EV Make-Ready program is designed to help electrify our transportation industry and support our mandate that all new passenger cars and trucks sold in the state by 2035 are zero-emission, while ensuring that all New Yorkers benefit from cleaner air and the creation of new, well-paying jobs. “

The EV Make-Ready program provides funding for the infrastructure required to support more than 50,000 new public and commercial Level 2 charging ports, capable of charging a vehicle at least twice as fast as a standard wall outlet , and 1,500 public CC (direct current) fast charging ports in New York City in recognition of the critical role public fast charging ports will play in the short term in alleviating range anxiety. Before the program began, there were 4,571 publicly available chargers statewide. This program will more than tenfold the number of publicly available chargers in New York State.

The EV Make-Ready program is funded by investor-owned utilities in New York State and creates a cost-sharing program that incentivizes utilities and charging port developers to implement charging infrastructure of electric vehicles in places that will provide maximum benefit to consumers. The Commission has capped the total budget at $ 701 million and it will run until 2025, with a minimum of $ 206 million allocated to equitable access and benefits for disadvantaged and disadvantaged socio-economic communities. EV charging ports in underprivileged communities are eligible for a higher incentive, covering up to 100% of the costs of preparing a site for EV charging. The rules governing the EV Make-Ready program have been in effect temporarily since January 1, 2021. Today’s ruling makes these rules permanent.

Encouraging private investment in publicly accessible fast-charging ports will boost the electric vehicle market in New York City over the next several years. While the initial focus was on funding projects located in communities served by investor-owned utilities, the Commission said the goals to advance the state’s transportation electrification goals, expanding access to clean transportation and reducing emissions in disadvantaged communities are relevant statewide. .

Civil Service Commission Chairman Rory M. Christian said: “We need to quickly electrify our transportation system in order to achieve a carbon neutral economy. New York’s clean energy initiatives and planned investments for the coming years will ensure that the infrastructure necessary to meet our greenhouse gas reduction goals is in place.

The transportation sector is responsible for the largest contribution to greenhouse gas pollution in the country, with emissions having increased more than any other sector over the past 30 years. Encouraging the accelerated and forward-thinking development of charging infrastructure will provide New Yorkers with more than $ 2.6 billion in net benefits and support the achievement of the state’s goals for transportation electrification and clean energy . Electrifying transportation will allow New Yorkers to power their vehicles with cleaner sources of energy, with renewables making up a growing share of the state’s electricity supply. A thoughtful location of the charging infrastructure will reduce installation costs, improve host acceptance of the site, and maximize use by drivers.

The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), along with its service provider, PSEG Long Island, has announced its goal of supporting 180,000 new electric vehicles on Long Island with 4,745 new charging ports for electric vehicles by 2025, with a proposed investment of $ 89 million in infrastructure readiness over the next four years.

Customers in Long Island and other areas of New York State that are outside of investor-owned utility territories can take advantage of the innovative prize competition design and administrative capabilities developed by NYSERDA for the “New York Clean Transportation Prizes”.

The Commission’s goals of advancing the state’s transport electrification goals, expanding access to clean transport and reducing emissions in disadvantaged communities should be pursued by all state communities, regardless of the electricity service provider or the particular regulatory framework that governs that service, and a coordinated state-wide approach is needed to meet the requirements of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), and that all New Yorkers should share the benefits of CLCPA.

The CLCPA includes requirements that all state agencies prioritize reducing greenhouse gas emissions in disadvantaged communities and that at least 35% of the overall benefits of spending on clean energy programs benefit disadvantaged communities. Electric vehicle readiness costs include utility owned prep work, customer owned prep work, readiness implementation, and other program costs.

New York State’s National Climate Plan

The nation’s leading New York State climate agenda is the country’s most aggressive climate and energy initiative, calling for an orderly and just transition to clean energy that creates jobs and continues to build an economy green as New York State recovers from COVID-19 pandemic. Written into law by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, New York is on track to meet its goal of a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, of which 70% is produced from renewable energy. ‘by 2030, and achieve carbon neutrality. It builds on New York’s unprecedented investments to develop clean energy, including more than $ 21 billion in 91 large-scale renewable projects across the state, $ 6.8 billion to reduce emissions from buildings, $ 1.8 billion to develop solar power, over $ 1 billion for clean transportation initiatives, and over $ 1.2 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. Together, these investments support more than 150,000 clean energy jobs in New York City in 2019, 2,100% growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011, and a commitment to develop 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind power. by 2035. With the Climate Act as a guide, New York will build on this progress and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent from 1990 levels by 2050, while ensuring that at least 35 percent with a target of 40 percent of the benefits of clean energy investments to be directed to underprivileged communities, and advance progress towards the state’s energy efficiency target by 2025 of reduce on-site energy consumption by 185 trillion BTUs in end-use energy savings.