I-5 Electric Truck Charging Sites Mapped Out by Electric Utilities
June 17 2020 - 2:00PM
Business Wire
West Coast Clean Transit Corridor would
create jobs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions from freight
transportation, help eliminate health-harming diesel emissions from
trucks
Electric utilities in three West Coast states have announced the
results of a study that could lead to significant reductions of
pollution from freight transportation up and down the Pacific Coast
and create jobs in an economy hit hard by the novel
coronavirus.
This press release features multimedia. View
the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200617005125/en/
(Graphic: Business Wire)
The West Coast Clean Transit Corridor Initiative, a study
commissioned by an unprecedented collaboration among nine electric
utilities and two agencies representing more than two dozen
municipal utilities, recommends adding electric vehicle charging
for freight haulers and delivery trucks at 50-mile intervals along
Interstate 5 and adjoining highways.
“The results of this study provide a roadmap for electric
utilities in Washington, Oregon and California to help electrify
transportation in a coordinated fashion,” said Katie Sloan,
director of eMobility and Building Electrification for Southern
California Edison, one of the study’s sponsors. “This study comes
at a time when we believe major investment in electric vehicle
charging infrastructure will help significantly with economic
recovery from COVID-19 in our states.”
Other sponsors of the study are Los Angeles Department of Water
& Power, Northern California Power Agency, Pacific Gas and
Electric Company, Pacific Power, Portland General Electric, Puget
Sound Energy, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, San Diego Gas
& Electric, Seattle City Light and Southern California Public
Power Authority. HDR completed the study.
The study’s final report, published today, proposes a phased
approach for electrifying the I-5 corridor. The first phase would
involve installing 27 charging sites along I-5 at 50-mile intervals
for medium-duty electric vehicles, such as delivery vans, by 2025.
Then, later, 14 of the 27 charging sites would be expanded to also
accommodate charging for electric big rigs by 2030, when it is
estimated that 8% of all trucks on the road in California could be
electric.
Of the 27 proposed sites, 16 are in California, five are in
Oregon and six are in Washington. An additional 41 sites on other
highways that connect to I-5 are being proposed for
electrification. Those highways include Interstates 8, 10, 80, 210
and 710 and state routes 60 and 99 in California; I-84 in Oregon
and I-90 in Washington.
“We are proud to work closely with our customers to help drive
the electrification of commercial freight and fleet vehicles,” said
Will Einstein, PSE’s director of New Product Development. “By
supplying our customers with clean electricity as a transportation
fuel, we can support our customers’ desire for lower-carbon
electricity and transportation fuel options, reduce air emissions
and improve community health outcomes while helping Washington
state accelerate its efforts to meet stronger environmental
goals.”
The report recommends expanding state, federal or private
programs that provide funding for electrification, which could
further accelerate electric truck adoption and expand economic
opportunities associated with building sites. Several utilities in
California — LADWP, PG&E, SDG&E and SCE — have programs
aimed at supporting the adoption of electric trucks, but more
support will be needed to reach electrification levels identified
in the study and to meet state climate goals.
Other key findings in the report are:
- Most utilities in California, Oregon and Washington have enough
capacity in urban areas along I-5 to support interconnections with
the medium-duty charging sites. Rural areas are more of a challenge
and none of the rural areas currently have capacity to serve
heavy-duty site development.
- Stakeholders, including utilities, must begin proactive
engagement to accommodate long lead times (multiple years in most
cases) for system planning and site development.
- Clean fuel policies in West Coast states continue to drive
transportation electrification in the near term and additional
state, federal and private programs that provide funding for
electrification could further accelerate electric truck
adoption.
- Utilities should serve as trusted infrastructure providers that
can be leveraged to collaborate across a broad range of industry
stakeholders, educate customers, help standardize systems of
charging equipment for trucks and ensure safe deployment of
charging sites.
- Fleet operators surveyed as part of the study identified that
access to public charging would accelerate deployment of electric
vehicles because their trucks could use public sites to support
their operations.
“Electrifying delivery, freight and other commercial
transportation on I-5 and adjoining highways will help bring us
closer to achieving clean energy and environmental goals, and will
mean major health benefits to the communities near those highways,”
said Eva DeCesaro, senior product manager, Transportation
Electrification for Pacific Power. “This is especially true for
underserved communities that are disproportionality impacted by
carbon pollution.”
Data shows that people who live near truck-traffic corridors
experience higher rates of asthma, lung and heart disease and
chronic bronchitis due largely to breathing toxic vehicle
emissions, specifically diesel particulate matter. A recent study
also indicates that increases in particulate pollution is
associated with higher death rates among COVID-19 patients.
In California, the transportation sector accounts for nearly 80%
of the state’s air pollution and more than 40% of all greenhouse
gas emissions. Washington and Oregon face similar environmental
challenges, transportation being the largest contributor to air
pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in those states as well.
“Electrifying transportation is a key component to reaching our
goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2040,” said Bill Boyce, SMUD’s
manager of Electric Transportation. “As a transportation hub,
reducing diesel emissions in long-haul transportation will further
our goals of clean air and sustainable communities in our region
and along the entire West Coast. We are pleased to be taking a
comprehensive, interstate approach to clean transportation.”
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200617005125/en/
Paul Griffo, SCE, 626-302-2255
Edison (NYSE:EIX)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024
Edison (NYSE:EIX)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024