Energy Department, APPA will work to enhance workplace charging efforts at public power utilities
WASHINGTON – Acting Assistant Secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy David Friedman signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Energy and the American Public Power Association (APPA) today.
They are collaborating efforts to electrify personal and fleet transportation in public power communities throughout the US.
This partnership builds on the Obama Administration’s and the Energy Department’s EV Everywhere Grand Challenge to develop plug-in electric vehicles by 2022 that are as affordable as a 2012 gasoline-powered vehicle.
“With the clean energy revolution accelerating and the electric vehicle market growing, it is critical that we expand cooperation as part of our electric vehicle Everywhere Grand Challenge,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Friedman.
The MOU advances mutual interests to increase the economic, environmental, and national security benefits of using electricity as a transportation fuel and expanding the electric vehicle market by bringing utilities directly into the fold.
Through this agreement, the Energy Department and APPA will pursue collaborative efforts to advance electric vehicle adoption and charging infrastructure deployment for private vehicles, commercial fleets, transportation for passengers and commerce, and other efforts that will help displace petroleum with grid-sourced electricity as a transportation fuel.
“APPA has shown tremendous leadership in promoting electric vehicles among its network of public utilities, and with this Memorandum of Understanding, we are eager to work together to electrify transportation with clean and renewable power in our biggest cities and smallest towns, ensuring that electric vehicles truly are everywhere,” said Friedman.
The Energy Department and APPA will provide information to increase education and awareness of the benefits of electric vehicles to public power utilities and local officials, and develop a Community Action Plan that focuses on smaller communities with fewer than 200,000 electric customers.
“Given our strong commitment to environmental stewardship, Public Power is honored to partner with the DOE to promote increased use of electric vehicles,” said APPA President and CEO Sue Kelly. “We want to be responsive to changing customer preferences and help our members prepare for the future of transportation.”
In addition, APPA will join the Energy Department’s EV Everywhere Utility Partnership, which was formed in 2015 to continue accelerating plug-in electric vehicles and advance the technology for the charging infrastructure.
The Energy Department and APPA will work to enhance workplace charging efforts at public power utilities, study the impacts of electric vehicles in public power communities, and share insights regarding infrastructure installation and electric vehicle interaction with the modern grid.