On MonÂday, OctoÂber 19, 2020, DenÂver Metro Clean Cities CoaliÂtion gathÂered repÂreÂsenÂtaÂtives from utilÂiÂties, powÂer supÂply comÂpaÂnies, and nonÂprofÂit orgaÂniÂzaÂtions to have an open disÂcusÂsion about the ongoÂing develÂopÂment of elecÂtric vehiÂcle (EV) proÂgrams for utilÂiÂties in Colorado.
Our guests includÂed Mike FraiÂley from Tri-State GenÂerÂaÂtion & TransÂmisÂsion AssoÂciÂaÂtion, a major powÂer supÂpliÂer to rurÂal coopÂerÂaÂtives across the State of ColÂorado. Aaron Carr from Black Hills EnerÂgy, and LauÂra Getts & Jon BeyÂer from San Isabel ElecÂtric AssoÂciÂaÂtion (SIEA), both of which operÂate in the south and southÂeastÂern areas of the state. Matt FromÂmer from SouthÂwest EnerÂgy EffiÂcienÂcy Project (SWEEP) and Zach Owens from the ColÂorado EnerÂgy Office and the ColÂorado ElecÂtric VehiÂcle Coalition’s (CEVC) subÂgroup on BenÂeÂfiÂcial ElecÂtriÂfiÂcaÂtion joined us to lend their experÂtise as well.
Our preÂsenÂters introÂduced us to both estabÂlished plans and proÂgrams still in-develÂopÂment that supÂport the deployÂment of EVs and elecÂtric vehiÂcle serÂvice equipÂment (EVSE) across ColÂorado. Tri-State offers sugÂgesÂtions on setÂting EV-speÂcifÂic rates and EV toolkÂit called "Choose EV" to all their coop memÂbers, which proÂvides basic eduÂcaÂtionÂal inforÂmaÂtion about EVs and EV modÂels, finanÂcial incenÂtives, and chargÂing facts.
Black Hills EnerÂgy described the conÂcept behind their TransÂportaÂtion ElecÂtriÂfiÂcaÂtion Plan, which is curÂrentÂly awaitÂing tesÂtiÂmoÂny and approval by the ColÂorado PubÂlic UtilÂiÂty ComÂmisÂsion (PUC). Matt FromÂmer with SWEEP, likeÂwise, proÂvidÂed an overview of Xcel Energy’s TransÂportaÂtion ElecÂtriÂfiÂcaÂtion Plan, which is curÂrentÂly underÂgoÂing the approval process with the PUC. Matt also delivÂered an explaÂnaÂtion regardÂing the benÂeÂfits of EVs to the elecÂtricÂiÂty grid, includÂing describÂing the benÂeÂfit to rate payÂers, whether they are EV driÂvers or not.
San Isabel ElecÂtric proÂvidÂed backÂground of their ongoÂing efforts to get more EVs on the road. IncludÂing proÂgrams that offer incenÂtives to cusÂtomers for the purÂchase of an EV, as well as their efforts in workÂing with priÂvate partÂners to install EVSE across their serÂvice territory.
Zach Owens, with the CEVC, proÂvidÂed a brief update about the statewide stakeÂholdÂer group’s efforts to supÂport EVSE deployÂment, as well as proÂvidÂed updates from the ColÂorado EnerÂgy Office.
The open disÂcusÂsion proved benÂeÂfiÂcial to all our preÂsenÂters, as well as the many attenÂdees who repÂreÂsentÂed orgaÂniÂzaÂtions and othÂer utilÂiÂty coops across the state. TopÂics includÂing the chalÂlenges of fundÂing chargÂing staÂtion instalÂlaÂtion, designÂing speÂcifÂic EV-chargÂing rates, and navÂiÂgatÂing peak demand charges were touched on throughÂout the event.
We are enthuÂsiÂasÂtic about the engageÂment in the conÂverÂsaÂtion around utilÂiÂty EV proÂgrams and we hope to see more statewide colÂlabÂoÂraÂtion between both big and small coops in the future.
The opporÂtuÂniÂty to conÂnect coops across the state and brainÂstorm ideas about how to improve supÂport of EVs and EVSE is a key part of the work that DenÂver Metro Clean Cities does. We hope to conÂtinÂue to work with diverse utilÂiÂties and to bring them togethÂer in a colÂlabÂoÂraÂtive enviÂronÂment again in the near future.
Thank you to all parÂties who made this event such a great success!
WritÂten by: SonÂja MeintsÂma, Project ManÂagÂer at DenÂver Metro Clean Cities Coalition