By Paul Conyers
During the most recent meeting of the Energy Efficiency Taskforce, a presentation was given by Jessica Wilcox from the N.H. Department of Environmental Services. Her presentation specifically outlined a statewide plan to expand the infrastructure needed to support more electric vehicles (EVs).
The state and the federal Department of Energy are working with local governments to expand the network of charging stations in response to rising demand along with environmental concerns. The Department of Environmental Services currently has access to $31 million in a trust for the project across N.H.
“There’s a lot of interest in EVs and the supportive infrastructure needed to fuel those vehicles moving forward” Wilcox stated, “and we’re seeing growth within our own state with registrations and particularly in surrounding states.” Many have been slow to purchase battery EVs partially due to a lack of charging stations outside major cities. She mentioned partnering with Vermont towns in addition to NH to build an unbroken line of charging infrastructure across rural parts of New England.
A major driving force has been the environmental benefits of electrical vehicles, which generate less pollution compared to gas-powered vehicles. However, the cost is also a factor in an era of higher prices for diesel and gasoline. The growth in choice for EVs has been seen in the commercial market with electric forklifts, school buses, and delivery vans.
Wilcox noted that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to EV infrastructure. The Department of Environmental Services is mainly looking into what is known as DC Fast Charging for road stops and on the highway to “facilitate long-distance travel, provide an alternative to home charging” Mid-High-Power AC chargers are slower but cheaper charging stations, better suited for smaller towns and in parking lots.
NH communities would not have to provide most funding for new charges thanks in part to the availability of state, federal, and private funding sources.
Any public road has federal funding, although DC Fast Chargers for interstate highways are a priority. The NH Department of Transportation routinely holds public hearings through Zoom, encouraging public input on how and where to spend money designed for EV infrastructure. Many factors including data-collection and charging standards remain undecided.
Even with funding for building new EV stations, there were a few questions. One was the possibility of tying the upcoming solar array into the charging stations. Several companies specialize in connecting solar panels to individual charging stations, indicating that such a thing is feasible depending on funding.
Another question involved the cost of charging a vehicle at a station. Some see rapidly growing prices on gas and worry that private distributors might increase the price of EV charging in the absence of regulation. As with infrastructure, legislation needs to catch up with the growth of EVs. “We’re living in a technology age” stated Wilcox, and “it’s very exciting to be on the cusp of all of this” with the growth of new EV technology.