Electric Utilities and The Future of Clean Transportation

AP PHOTO/RICH PEDRONCELLI
Electric Utilities and the

Future of Clean Transportation
By Myriam Alexander-Kearns and Alison Cassady April 2016
W W W.AMERICANPROGRESS.ORG
Electric Utilities and the

Future of Clean Transportation
By Myriam Alexander-Kearns and Alison Cassady April 2016
Contents
1 Introduction and summary

4 The need to electrify the transportation sector
6 Current state of electric vehicles in the United States
9 Electric vehicle growth can benefit electric utilities
12 The role of electric utilities in promoting electric
vehicle growth
21 Recommendations
23 Conclusion
24 About the authors
25 Endnotes
Introduction and summary

As part of the global coalition of countries committed to fighting climate
change, the United States has pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions
by 26 percent to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. To meet that goal, the
Obama administration has taken action to clean up the power sector, make cars
and trucks more energy efficient, and reduce emissions from other parts of the
economy. To avoid the worst impacts of climate change, however, the United
Statesand its global partnerswill have to achieve much steeper emissions
reductions in the coming decades.
The transportation sector accounts for more than one-quarter of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, the majority of which come from gasoline-powered cars and
light trucks.1 One critical path toward a cleaner transportation sector relies on the
increased presence of electric cars and trucks, running on electricity generated
from an increasingly cleaner power sector.
The need to deploy more electric vehicles2 comes at an interesting time for the
U.S. electricity sector. The U.S. economy is more energy-efficient, meaning the
nation is using less energy per dollar of GDP, and a growing number of U.S.
households are installing solar panels to generate their own electricity and rely
less on the power grid. As a result, many electric utilities are selling less of their
product. In 2015, total electricity sales fell, marking the fifth time in eight years
that sales have declined year-over-year. Experts predict electricity consumption to
remain flat in the coming decades.
The United States needs more electric vehicles in order to reduce emissions and
utilities need new electricity demand to stay in business. This confluence presents a unique opportunity for electric utilities to play an active role in deploying
more electric vehicles and related infrastructure. Recognizing this opportunity,
the Edison Electric Institutewhich represents the entire U.S. investor-owned
1 Center for American Progress | Electric Utilities and the Future of Clean Transportation
utility sector and 70 international electric company memberssigned a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, with the U.S. Department of Energy, or
DOE, to work together to accelerate the deployment of electric vehicles and the
charging infrastructure to support them.
Many utilities are already engaged. Some are offering special rates to electric
vehicle owners in their service area to incentivize them to charge their cars during off-peak electricity demand hours. This saves consumers money and helps
utilities manage their demand load. Several utilities, including the three largest in
California, are investing directly in electric vehicle infrastructure to accommodate
a predicted increase in electric vehicle ownership in coming years.
Both private companies and consumer groups are concerned about this involvement by electric utilities. Private companies, such as Chargepoint, that provide
charging services worry that the utilities will stifle healthy competition and crowd
out, rather than build upon, privately funded charging infrastructure. Consumer
groupssuch as The Utility Reform Network and Californias Office of Ratepayer
Advocatesare worried that ratepayers will suffer and be charged higher rates if
the utilities investments fail or do not meet expectations.
Given the urgent challenge posed by climate change and the need to cut greenhouse gas emissions from the U.S. transportation sector, it is important that
utilities work with concerned stakeholders and state public utility commissions to
develop a workable model for utility engagement in electric vehicle deployment.
As providers of a service that reaches nearly every household and business, utilities have a unique reach into American communities. The Center for American
Progress recommends that electric utilities do the following:
Starting with pilot programs, invest in a public charging infrastructure in their
service areas to complement the private sectors investment in this area.
Offer time-of-use rates to encourage electric vehicle owners to charge during
low-demand times, and identify ways to offer electric vehicle owners electricity
generated from renewable or zero-carbon energy sources.
Expand charging access to low-income areas and multifamily residences, and
encourage state policymakers to offer point-of-sale rebates for residents in these
areas to make the cars a more affordable option.
By implementing these recommendations, utilities can encourage a large customer

base to consider electric vehicle ownership, resulting in vast greenhouse gas emissions reductions from the transportation sector and a steady, sustainable demand
for electricity. For customer who are already interested in electric vehicle ownership,
utilities can increase access and affordability of cars and charging infrastructure.
The need to electrify the

transportation sector
In advance of the December 2015 U.N. Framework Convention on Climate
Change Conference of Parties meeting in Paris, the United States committed
to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent to 28 percent below 2005
levels by 2025.3 At the conference, 195 countriesincluding the United States
adopted a global agreement to aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit
global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels in order to
avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change.4
The United States is on its way to meeting its Paris commitment, although more
work remains.5 To limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius to 2 degrees Celsius,
however, the United States will need to identify ways to cut total greenhouse gas
emissions by at least 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050, a level that climate
scientists have long agreed upon as necessary to limit warming at this level.6
The United States has started by cleaning up the power sector. The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, finalized the Clean Power Plan, which,
if implemented, will reduce carbon emissions from the power sector 32 percent
from 2005 levels by 2030.7 This is a step toward meeting the 2025 and 2050 goals
for emissions reductions in all sectors.
To achieve even deeper pollution reductions, the United States needs to find a
cleaner way to power vehicles; the transportation sector accounted for more than
27 percent of domestic greenhouse gas emissions in 2013.8 The majority of those
emissions60 percentcame from light-duty vehicles, such as passenger cars,
that rely on gasoline for fuel.9
As the U.S. electricity system continues its transition toward lower- and zerocarbon energy sources, electric vehicles will become even cleaner than they
already are on a life-cycle basis, taking into account all emissions stemming from
manufacturing to driving the car. (see text box on page 5) Already, greenhouse
gas emissions from the average battery electric vehicle are 50 percent lower than
emissions from a comparable gasoline car on a life-cycle basisfrom manufacturing to driving.10 An electric vehicle driven in every region of the United States
currently produces less pollution than a new, gasoline-fueled car, and about
two-thirds of Americans live in regions where driving an electric vehicle that
plugs into the regional grid creates less pollution than a traditional car that gets 50
miles-per-gallon.11
By replacing gasoline-fuelled cars with cleaner electric vehicles, we will see significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector.
Cleaning up electricity: The surge forward with renewables

2015 was a momentous year for clean energy initiatives in the United States:
In August, the EPA finalized its Clean Power Plan, regulations that would require states to reduce
carbon emissions from electricity generation.12 If implemented by the EPA, pending a decision by
the U.S. Supreme Court, states will develop individual plans to achieve their emissions reductions
goals or collaborate with other states.13 Many states will increase their generation from renewable sources, such as wind and solar power, as one way to comply with the new regulations.
In December, Congress authorized a five-year extension of the investment tax credit for solar
energy and the production tax credit for wind energy. Other renewables, like geothermal energy,
received one-year extensions to their investment tax credit. With the extension of the tax credits,
experts predict that utilities that are not already investing in solar and wind technology will
begin to invest in these areas.14
Rooftop solar power generation became cost-competitive, achieving grid-parity with other
forms of electricity in 19 states and Washington, D.C., according to recent data.15 Parity is
achieved when the levelized cost of solar power slips below the total electricity bill savings
within the first year of installing the system.16 According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, solar energy grew significantly in 2015: For the first three-quarters of the year, 30 percent of
all new generating capacity in the United States came from solar power.17
Wind energy is also projected to continue its substantial rise. Between 2010 and 2013, wind capacity increased roughly 50 percent, from 40 GW across 27 states to 60 GW across 34 states.18 By
the end of 2015, the U.S. wind capacity passed 74 GW, and installations in 2015 were 77 percent
greater than in 2014.19 By 2020, capacity is expected to rise to 113 GW in the United States.20
Current state of electric

vehicles in the United States
More electric vehicles are on the road than ever before, and experts expect
the electric vehicle market to continue to grow. The cost of vehicles is declining, as is the cost of battery manufacturing, and battery life is longer than ever.
Meanwhile, charging infrastructure is going up across the countryparticularly
in cities throughout California and on the East Coastwhich allows drivers to
charge away from home.21
Sales of electric vehicles

Electric vehicle use is on the rise in the United States. As of October 2015, plug-in
hybrids and battery electric vehicles totaled roughly 417,000 in the United States,
or 3 percent of the vehicle market.22
Many states are working to deploy more electric vehicles as a means to clean
up air pollution and mitigate climate change. In 1990, California adopted the
Zero Emissions Vehicle, or ZEV, program, establishing a goal that manufacturers include ZEVs as 2 percent of the vehicles they produce for sale.23 California
updated this goal in 2012, now requiring ZEVs and plug-in hybrids to comprise 15 percent of new vehicle sales by 2025.24 Connecticut, Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont have
adopted the California ZEV program under Section 177 of the Clean Air Act of
1970, which allows states to adopt Californias vehicle emissions standards.25
In 2013, governors from California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, New
York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont signed a memorandum of understanding that committed to put at least 3.3 million ZEVs, most commonly batteryelectric vehicles, on the road in these states by 2025.26 In this agreement, the states
committed to the coordinated effort so they could achieve the 3.3 million goal.
The federal government also is working to encourage consumers to purchase electric vehicles. The federal government offers a federal tax credit for electric vehicle
buyers of up to $7,500. Some states have done even more to encourage electric
vehicle ownership by offering their own rebate and tax credit programs.27
Battery prices
One factor that has slowed the deployment of electric vehicles is cost, much of
which is attributed to the battery. Fortunately, battery prices are falling. Between
2009 and 2014, the cost of a lithium ion batterythe battery used in electric
vehiclesfell by more than 70 percent, while cumulative electric vehicle sales
rose to nearly 300,000 in five years.28 In 2015 alone, electric vehicle sales increased
60 percent, and battery prices fell 35 percent.29
Battery costs are expected to continue to decline, and electric vehicle sales are
expected to continue to rise, although at a slower rate than at present.30 By 2020,
electric vehicles will likely be as affordable as gasoline-powered cars.31 More
affordable electric vehicle models are already emerging in the market. Chevrolet,
Ford, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Smart, and VW all released electric vehicle models in
2015 or 2016 that sell for less than $30,000 even before state and federal incentives are applied.32 Even Tesla introduced its more affordable Model 3 in March
2016, which is priced at $35,000 before government incentives, about half the current cost of Teslas next-cheapest model, the Model S.33
The predicted boom in electric vehicle sales has great implications for the oil market worldwide. According to a recent Bloomberg New Energy Finance report, if
electric vehicle sales keep growing the way they have been, electric transportation
will displace 2 million barrels of oil each day by 2028.34
Charging infrastructure
To meet the goal of putting 3.3 million ZEVs on the road by 2025, the United
States will need to expand its charging infrastructure. There are currently 12,682
public charging stations in the United States, about 9,000 of which are located in
California.35 With more than 53,000 electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids registered in California in 2014, there is roughly one public station available for every
six cars.36 New England has its fair share of charging stations as well, with 2,200 of
the 3,211 vehicles registered in 2014.37
When away from home, drivers can use these public charging locations to charge
on the go. Drivers of EVs can charge via membership networks across the country,
like Chargepoint and NRG Energys EVgo charging program. In late 2015, EVgo
solidified its place as the countrys largest public infrastructure provider for direct
current, or DC, fast chargers, the quickest type of charging infrastructure, by partnering with BMW, Ford, and ROEV, an electric vehicle trade association.38 While
public charging is available across the country, it is concentrated most heavily in
California and on the East Coast. Pockets are also prevalent in the middle of the
country, usually clustered around metropolitan areas, such as Chicago and Fort
Worth, Texas.39 Tesla has also built a network of so-called superchargers, which
are only compatible with Tesla vehicles.40
Some would-be electric vehicle drivers cite lack of public charging infrastructure
as a reason for not purchasing an electric vehicle. They have range anxiety; that is,
they worry they will get stranded without access to a charge. A Canadian study
examining the EV300 Program, which worked with private and public organizations to replace some fleets with electric vehicles, found that range anxiety is very
real for fleet drivers. The evaluators discovered that these fears translate into less
use of the vehicles all-electric capacity.41
To alleviate this anxiety and accommodate 3.3 million electric vehicles by 2025,
more charging infrastructure will be needed to attract new buyers. Currently,
charging options are limited for residents of multifamily buildings that do not
have installed chargers, and many employers do not provide charging stations
at the workplace. 42 In some areas of the country, public charging sites are more
frequently used than others, and more data is needed on how to identify prime
charging locations.43 Stakeholders such as electric utilities can have a role in
promoting charging infrastructure, collecting this necessary data, and increasing
access to charging in low-income markets.
Increasing the availability of charging infrastructure, and offering charging solutions for multifamily residences, can ease the range anxiety that would-be EV
owners may face.
Electric vehicle growth

can benefit electric utilities
As more electric vehicles hit Americas roads, electric utilities will enjoy certain
benefits. First, electric vehicle charging creates new electricity demand. This
comes at an important time for utilities, many of which are seeing declining
demand for their product. Second, electric utilities can use electric vehicles as
temporary energy storage, which can help them balance electricity load during
peak-demand times.
Electric vehicles provide a new source of electricity demand

Electric utilities are facing significant challenges to their current business model.
In 2015, total electricity sales fellthe fifth time in eight years that sales declined
from the previous year.44 The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts a
relatively flat growth rate for electricity use in the next 25 years. Total electricity
use is expected to grow only 0.8 percent from 2013 to 2040.45
This trend is due to improvements in energy efficiency and to the growth of
distributed solar generation. Analysis by the American Council for an EnergyEfficient Economy, or ACEEE, shows that the U.S. economy has become more
energy efficient over the last quarter century, decreasing energy used per dollar
spent by 50 percent.46
State and federal policies encourage utility customers to use electricity more
efficiently and to install solar panels to generate their own electricity. As of January
2016, 41 states plus Washington, D.C., have rules for net metering, which allows
customers with renewable generation capacity, like solar panels, to sell electricity back to the local utility.47 Additionally, the federal government, 35 states, and
the District of Columbia offer residents or small businesses financial incentives
for contributing clean generation to the gridincluding performance-based
incentives, personal tax credits or deductions, property tax incentives, or sales

tax incentives.48 As many customers take advantage of these existing incentives to
set up their own electricity generation, utilities will see fluctuations and possible
decreases in traditional demand for their product.
The power sector is not blind to these trends. In 2012, the Edison Electric
Institute, or EEI, noted that a growing number of customers are increasingly exercising their options to manage electricity bills through energy efficiency, demand
management and on-site generation.49 EEI warned of a potential death spiral if
utilities failed to adapt to these disruptive technologies and practices.50
Electric vehicle deployment, however, has the potential to help stabilize electricity demand in many markets. As more vehicles require electricity as fuel, utilities
will see an increase in demand for their product and can find new ways to use
electric vehicles to manage their product flow. One study estimates that, assuming the average car drives 12,000 miles per year, an electric vehicle will increase a
households electricity demand by 33 percent, and a plug-in hybrid will increase
demand by 37 percent.51
In recognition of the opportunity presented by electric vehicles, EEI signed a
memorandum of understanding with the Department of Energy in June 2015.
The MOU recognizes the mutual interest in realizing the economic, environmental, and national security benefits achieved by the growing use of electricity
as a transportation fuel.52 The goal of the MOU is to allow the DOE and EEI to
pursue key opportunities for collaborative action between the government and
utility industry in order to accelerate plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) and charging
infrastructure deployment.53
Electric vehicles as storage

Electric vehicles can also provide storage when they are plugged into the grid,
storing energy and helping the utility manage the demand on the grid during peak
demand times.54 EV owners can connect their vehicles to the grid through homecharging infrastructure or at public chargers, offering storage capabilities to the
grid or a home, much like a stationary battery. According to a study by Navigant
Research, plugged-in vehicles can capture generation from renewables when
demand is lower, store it in their batteries, and help offset generation needs when
demand is higher. Theoretically, this would make electricity cheaper and the grid
more flexible and resilient.55 A typical electric vehicle can store in its battery as
much power as a home consumes in three days.56 Navigant predicts that worldwide revenue from these vehicle-to-grid services will grow from $335,000 per year
in 2015 to $20.7 million annually by 2024.57
Utilities have a lot to gain from the growth of electric vehiclesa steady source
of demand for electricity, and a way to manage that demand to ensure a reliable
flow of electricity.
The role of electric utilities in

promoting electric vehicle growth
Because they provide the fuel for electric vehicles, electric utilities have a natural
role to play in expanding electric vehicle ownership and installing new charging
infrastructure. Utilities can promote electric vehicle growth in two main ways:
incentivizing and supporting electric vehicle ownership and the charging infrastructure, and investing directly in the deployment of new charging infrastructure
in their service areas. Utilities are also in the unique position to be able to expand
charging access to underserved areas not served by the private sector, including
low-income neighborhoods and multifamily residences. Some stakeholders have
raised potential concerns about utilities direct investment in electric vehicle infrastructure and are working actively to protect ratepayers and a competitive marketplace as more utilities engage in this space.
Incentivize and support electric vehicle ownership and

infrastructure
There are two primary ways electric utilities can incentivize customers to purchase
electric vehicles: offering time-of-use rates for charging and investing directly in
charging infrastructure.
Time of use rates

One way that electric utility companies can incentivize electric vehicle use is by
offering special time-of-use, or TOU, ratesalternative rate structures for electric
vehicle owners who are charging vehicles in their homes. Under a TOU program,
electric vehicle owners are charged different rates based on what time they plug in,
which allows utilities to incentivize residents to charge their cars during off-peak
hours, such as overnight, when electricity demand is lowest.
For the utility, shifting demand to off-peak times reduces generation costs and
avoids unnecessary investment in generation, transmission, and distribution.58 By
shifting charging times, utilities gain revenue while utilizing existing capacity.59
Shifting demand from peak times is key to grid sustainability and helps avoid the
need for carbon-intensive generation at peak times.60
While gasoline prices can be volatile, electric vehicle owners know what they
will pay to charge their vehicles at any given time, and they pay lower rates if they
charge at night, when there is less demand on the grid. A 2014 study by Energy
and Environmental Economics modeled the effects of tiered and TOU pricing on
customers. It found that the bills that electric vehicle owners pay offset the cost
to the utility to deliver the electricity. Because these costs would be distributed
among those who pay electricity bills as part of the rate base, the cost savings are
passed on to all ratepayers, including those who do not own electric vehicles.61
Through consumer education, utilities can demonstrate how a TOU charging
program offers these benefits to all customers.
Several electric utilities already offer special TOU rates to electric vehicle chargers, including ConEd in New York, Dominion Power in Virginia, DTE Energy
in Michigan, Georgia Power in Georgia, and Pacific Gas & Electric Company and
Southern California Edison in California.62
The main utility serving the Sacramento, California, metropolitan area
Sacramento Municipal Utility District, or SMUDestablished a two-year pilot
program for TOU pricing, offering customers three time-varying options during
which to charge their vehicles. The results of the pilot indicate that TOU pricing
works: SMUD saw a reduction of demand during peak times by 12 percent.63
San Diego Gas & Electric offers electric vehicle owners special rates for those who
opt into the EV-TOU program. The program gives customers the option to charge
during off-peak and slightly cheaper super off-peak hours. Depending on
when customers charge their vehicles and whether they use solar energy, they can
choose from different time-of-use charging models to get the most electricity for
their buck. Regardless of which option customers choose, the utility benefits from
having some electricity consumption shifted to times of lower demand.64
Implementing this structure for electric vehicle owners is a bit complicated, as it
involves tracking electric vehicle charging use separately from general residential
electricity use. However, this is feasible through smart-charging technology, which
links chargers directly to the grid and allows for data collection and scheduling of
charging periods.65 Similar to smart thermostat programs, such as Nest, customers allow utilities to control when the charge flows to their plugged-in vehicle so
that the utility can stagger the flow among various households to achieve balanced
demand on the grid over the course of the night.66
In Toronto, Canada, the government collaborated with smart charging company
CrossChasm Technologies and the electric company Toronto Hydro to create a
pilot program to establish TOU rates for charging. The pilot offers electric vehicle
owners new Level 2 chargers, a logger that tracks battery usage and charging patterns, and an app in which participants set charging preferences and receive requests
to shift consumption when electricity is in peak demand. The pilot ended at the end
of 2015, and CrossChasm expects to release an evaluation in spring 2016.67
Incentives to use renewables for electric vehicle charging

Utilities can combine the benefits of TOU charging and renewable energy by
offering electricity that is generated by alternative energy sources during off-peak
times for electric vehicle-charging, without shifting rates. This practice is not yet
widespread. In Minnesota, for example, the energy cooperative Great River Energy,
which provides electricity to 1.7 million customers across 28 co-ops, initiated a
program in 2015 called Revolt. The program allows plug-in vehicle customers the
option to get electricity from wind energy through the co-op at no extra cost. While
there is no way to send wind energy directly to registered homes, the company sets
aside renewable energy credits annually for each participant. Because electric vehicle
owners primarily charge at their residences at night, when wind is strongest, the
connection creates a reliable method for the utility to manage its load and encourage
residents to take advantage of charging while demand is low overnight.68
Invest directly in electric vehicle infrastructure
Types of EV charging
There are currently three types of electric vehicle chargers: Level 1, Level 2, and DC Fast Chargers.
Level 1 charges the vehicle through a basic 120 Volt plug, the kind found in the wall of a house.
It requires no special equipment but can take over 20 hours to charge fully; this method is often
used in homes where owners can charge their vehicles overnight.69
Level 2 charging requires a 240 Volt AC plug and requires additional charging equipment: the
same type of hook up as an electric dryer or oven. Level 2 chargers can fully charge a battery in
eight hours or less, depending on vehicle range, and are often found in homes and workplaces.
Level 2 chargers are more expensive than Level 1, but they are still a cheaper option than the DC
Fast Chargers that are commonly found at public charging stations.70
DC Fast Chargers offer 480 Volt charging and can fully charge a 60- to 100-mile range battery in
20 minutes. These are the most expensive chargers and also require specialized equipment to be
installed in the charging space and in the vehicle itself.71
Utilities can support electric vehicle charging by investing directly in residential

and public charging locations, meaning, they own, install, and maintain electric
vehicle charging infrastructure in their service areas. This represents a significant
capital investment, but it can offer significant potential benefit: higher demand
during off-peak hours, when car owners are charging at home. According to recent
analysis by Silver Spring Networks, a smart grid solution provider, the benefits of
utility ownership outweigh the costs 1.83 to 1.72
Some utilities have started investing in public charging infrastructure. These initial
programs will provide important lessons-learned as additional utilities across the
country opt in.
In 2015, Kansas City Power and Light, or KCP&L, installed more than 1,000
charging stations around the Kansas City, Missouri, area.73 The utility is offering free charging for the first two years of the program. KCPL estimates that the
charging network can support up to 10,000 electric vehicles.74 The utility has yet
to receive approval from the Missouri Public Service Commission to include the
$20 million cost in its rate base, which incorporates the investment in the stations
into the total value of the utilitys assets on which the utility is allowed to collect
a profit. By including the cost of the chargers into the utilitys rate-based assets,
the utility can recoup its investment through the price it charges customers for
electricity, passing along some of the risk of the investment to ratepayers. While
host sites are paying for their own stations, the utility has made the initial investment to support the infrastructure, and the utility hopes to pass these costs along
to ratepayers. If denied by the commission, KCP&L will finish the pilot but not
expand, according to its CEO, Terry Bassham.75 The utility argues that building
infrastructure to support electric vehicles will encourage consumers to purchase
these vehicles and make Kansas City an electric vehicle hotspot.
In California, three major utilities are taking initiative to sponsor public electric vehicle charging through different business models. In 2014, Pacific Gas
and Electric, or PG&E; Southern California Edison, or SCE; and San Diego
Gas & Electric, or SDG&E, filed proposals with the California Public Utilities
Commission, or CPUC, to invest in electric vehicle charging around the state.76
In January 2016, the CPUC approved SCEs proposal for its Charge Ready pilot
project, giving the green light for SCE to install 1,500 electric vehicle charging
stations in its service area, which includes parts of southern, coastal, and central
California. The pilot will cost $22 million and will expand charging options for
residents in apartments, low-income areas, workplaces, and college campuses.
Under the SCE pilot model, SCE will install and maintain the required electrical infrastructure to support the charging stations, which participants will
own, operate, and manage. SCE will subsidize some of the cost of installing the
charging stations at levels that vary by market. After the pilot program has run
its course, SCE will seek approval from CPUC to expand the program to build
30,000 charging stations across the service area by 2020, at an estimated cost of
$355 million. The program also calls for an education and outreach program to
increase awareness of electric vehicles.77
In January, CPUC also approved SDG&Es pilot research initiative, which was
designed to test market response to variable rates for electric vehicle charging. The
vehicle-grid integration pilot will install 3,500 charging stations in areas that lack
existing chargers, such as multifamily dwellings and workplaces.78 The dynamic
pricing structure of the program allows for time-varying rates for charging. The program includes a mobile app that sends customers signals on charging rates and lets
them set their preferences for charging times.79 This program initially will cost $59
million and an estimated $44 million over the life of the project for operation and
maintenance.80 Under this program, SDG&E will own the charging infrastructure,
but third-party contractors will construct, operate, and maintain the stations.81
Initially, PG&E proposed to build 25,000 Level 2 charging stations and 100 DC
fast chargers. The company would have fully owned and operated the stations,
unlike in the proposals of SCE and SDG&E.82 In October 2015, the CPUC
rejected this proposal, raising concerns that the companys plan could threaten
fair competition; it directed PG&E to propose a pilot program with a transition
period.83 In March 2016, PG&E submitted a proposed settlement to CPUC for a
pilot program called Charge Smart and Save that would install 7,500 Level 2 chargers and 100 DC fast-chargers over three years. PG&E submitted this proposal
with several stakeholders that helped craft it, including the Sierra Club, Natural
Resources Defense Council, Greenlining Institute, California Coalition of Utility
Employees, Plug In America, General Motors, Honda Motors, and the Alliance
of Automobile Manufacturers.84 In the revised plan, the utility would own the
infrastructure but hire contractors to install and maintain it. The program would
locate most of the Level 2 chargers at workplaces and multifamily dwellings with
the goal of filling critical market gaps. CPUC is expected to make a decision on
this proposed settlement agreement during the summer of 2016.85
Concerns about direct utility investment

During the debate about PG&Es initial proposal to add 25,000 charging stations, several stakeholders raised concerns about the utilitys proposed model for
investing in an electric vehicle charging infrastructure. These comments provide
important lessons for other utilities that may want to make a significant investment in their own service areas.
To cover the significant upfront capital costs of its proposal, PG&E would have
passed the costs on to all residential electricity consumers at a cost of about 70
cents each month. Consumer advocacy group The Utility Reform Network, or
TURN, raised equity concerns about this policy, because all ratepayers would pay
the increased costs regardless of whether they owned electric vehicles. TURN also
warned that PG&Es initial proposal could saddle ratepayers with stranded costs if
the infrastructure is built but underutilized.86
TURN argued that utilities should not own charging stations but work with
private host sites that own the actual chargers. With site host ownership, the risk
of stranded assets doesnt fall on ratepayers but is assumed by the host site, as well,
giving them skin in the game.87 The California Office of Ratepayer Advocates, or
ORA, agrees that ratepayers should only fund a pilot program with limited charging stations to avoid stranded assets, and this pilot should be used to collect data
and evaluate the program. ORA believes that any utility seeking to build charging
infrastructure should start with a small-scale pilot with minimal financial risk to
ratepayers so the program can be evaluated before being expanded.88 If the PG&E
proposal is eventually implemented in full, ORA suggests that PG&E should own
no more than 20 percent of charging stations with shareholder funds, minimizing
anti-competitive effects on the market.89
On the other side, PG&E argued that all ratepayers benefit from cleaner air. As a
state policy goal, PG&E sees the effort to put more electric vehicles on the road
as an appropriate cost to be shared among ratepayers, similar to energy-efficiency
measures for low-income residents.90
Network charging company ChargePoint commented that PG&Es ownership
of charging infrastructure as it was originally proposed would lead to a monopoly, blocking the competition necessary to keep prices low. ChargePoint CEO
Pasquale Romano suggested that the PG&E proposal might even slow down the
market, because people and businesses might hesitate to install chargers privately
if they assume PG&E will put one in for them.91 When the CPUC denied PG&Es
original proposal for its installation of more than 25,000 charging stations,
Commissioner Carla Peterman cited in her ruling concerns that PG&E would
gain an unfair advantage and create an anti-competitive market environment.92
While PG&Es recent proposal scales down the size of its program to create a
more phased-in model, some still expressed concerns. ChargePoints Romano
argued that this newest proposal still contains terms that could stifle competition.93
TURN also reacted to the settlement proposal unfavorably, citing concerns that the
proposal is still too large, does not phase in the program, and will be too costly to
customers, many of whom would not benefit from the new charging stations.94
Others endorsed the revised plan, including the environmental groups, automakers, and other stakeholders that crafted it. The Sierra Club called it a program that
would benefit the electricity grid, all utility customers, and the environment.95
Expanding electric vehicle access to underserved areas

Utility ownership and operation of the charging infrastructure could provide
expanded access into underserved, less profitable areas that private companies
have not yet reached.96
SDG&Es proposal for its charging pilot includes installing 10 percent of its stations in multifamily residences and workplaces in low-income communities. This
proposal has seen a lot of support from a broad coalition of environmental partners, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Defense
Fund, and the Greenlining Institute.97 The goal of this initiative is to help all
communities gain access to the benefits of zero-emissions vehicles. According to
a 2011 report by the Greenlining Institute, communities of color in California are
more concerned about air quality and pollution than their white counterparts, so
they represent a potential market base for electric vehicles. Expanding infrastructure into these communities can increase their access to these vehicles.98
The proposals from SCE and PG&E also include plans to extend the charging
infrastructure into underserved areas. In its approved pilot, SCE commits to siting 10 percent of charging stations, or 150 stations, in disadvantaged areas.99 If
PG&Es newest settlement proposal is approved by the CPUC, the company will
install at least 15 percent of its charging facilities in disadvantaged communities
and aim for an additional 5 percent of chargers installed in these communities.100
Under a 2012 settlement with Dynegywhich was partially owned by NRG
at the timeNRG agreed to install 200 DC fast charging stations throughout
California. Twenty percent of these stations were installed in low-income areas;
the company targeted mixed-income housing locations as well. The settlement
was designed to address the lack of a public charging infrastructure, deemed a
major barrier to electric vehicle expansion in the state.101
Expanding charging into low-income areas is not sufficient to bring real access
to electric transportation to everyone. While it does address the charging needs
of residents in multifamily residences and apartment buildings, building the
infrastructure for charging does not make the actual electric vehicles more
affordable to low-income drivers. One way to address this is to lower the price
for vehicles at the point of sale. TURN, for example, recommends using Low
Carbon Fuel Standard revenue to give low-income drivers a rebate upfront on

the purchase or lease of an electric vehicle. This could lower the price point
to an affordable level, especially for the purchase of used vehicles, which are
cheaper but not eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit.102
Utilities can play a significant role in incentivizing customers to purchase electric
vehicles and in expanding charging access to under-served areas. They can offer
special time-of-use charging rates to make charging more affordable and spread out
electricity demand. Some consumer advocacy groups have expressed concern about
utilities directly investing in charging infrastructure, and utilities should address
these concerns through stakeholder engagement and well-designed pilot programs
to collect data and avoid stifling competition from private charging providers.
Recommendations
As electricity becomes cleaner, it will become a common-sense alternative fuel
for vehicles. While the electric vehicle and hybrid vehicle market has seen growth
in recent years, it still accounts for only 3 percent of vehicles on the road in the
United States. While car manufacturers, municipalities, and federal and state
governments have been incentivizing electric vehicle production and use, electric
utilities also have a significant role to play in expanding access to electric transportation as a clean, affordable alternative to gas-powered cars.
Given the position that utilities play in delivering electricity to households and
businesses across the country, the Center for American Progress recommends
that electric utilities:
Invest in and maintain a public charging infrastructure in their service areas.
Electric utilities that are interested in adding charging stations to their service area
should prioritize early stakeholder engagement and, if necessary, start with pilot
programs to evaluate the size and type of investment that best meets the needs of
the community. Utilities should also demonstrate that their investment does not
obstruct market competition and innovation. The goal should be to complement,
not supplant, private sector involvement in charging infrastructure.
Offer electric vehicle owners in their service areas special time-varying rates
to incentivize off-peak charging. These utilities also should identify ways to
allow electric vehicle consumers to purchase or use electricity generated from
renewable or zero-carbon energy sources to maximize the climate benefit of
the electric vehicles.
Expand charging to low-income areas and multifamily residences that are
often neglected by private charging providers. For this to work, utilities also
should encourage state policymakers to offer point-of-sale rebates for residents in these areas to purchase new or preowned electric vehicles to make the
cars a more affordable option.
Electric utilities serve nearly every household and business in the United States.
Their broad reach positions them as key players in promoting expansion of electric
vehicles and reducing emissions from the transportation sector. To incentivize
electric vehicle ownership, utilities can implement pilot infrastructure investment
programs and offer special rates and access to renewable energy. They can also
increase access to charging infrastructure in underserved areas that are less profitable for private charging companies.
Conclusion
As the United States works to reduce greenhouse emissions as part of a global
effort to curb global warming and prevent the worst impacts of climate change,
reductions will need to be made from multiple sectors. The United States has
made great strides in implementing policy to reduce emissions from the power
sector, and it must now turn to the transportation sector, which accounts for more
than one-fourth of all greenhouse gas emissions in the country.
Putting more electric vehicles on the road is important for achieving these
reductions, and electric utilities have a critical role to play in the deployment of
electric vehicles. CAP recommends that utilities use their expansive presence
across the country to incentivize electric vehicle ownership and invest directly
in charging infrastructure. CAP also recommends that utilities use these incentives and investments to expand electric vehicle and charging access to lowincome and underserved areas.
Electric vehicles will play a prominent role in the transportation of the future, and
utilities are well positioned to encourage and benefit from this growth.
About the authors

Myriam Alexander-Kearns is the Research Associate for the Energy Policy team
at the Center. Before joining the Center, she worked at the Georgetown Climate
Center, focusing on climate change adaptation and mitigation initiatives. She
previously interned with the White House Council on Environmental Quality on
the climate adaptation team.
Alison Cassady is the Director of Domestic Energy Policy at the Center for
American Progress, where she focuses on federal climate policy and carbon pricing. She was previously senior staff for Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) and the U.S.
House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee.
Endnotes
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13 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Clean Power

Plan Technical Summary for States, available at
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2 Unless otherwise specified, electric vehicle refers to

a category of plug-in vehicles that includes Battery
Electric Vehicles, or BEVs, and Plug-in Hybrid Electric
Vehicles, or PHEVs. BEVs run solely on an electric battery and are charged by plugging them into an electric
outlet or charger. PHEVs contain both an electric battery, which is charged by plugging them into an outlet
or charger, and an internal combustion engine, which
runs on a conventional fossil fuel like petroleum.
14 Daniel Cusick, Renewables Boom Expected Thanks

to Tax Credit, Scientific American, December 21, 2015,
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3 The White House, Fact Sheet: U.S. Reports its 2025

Emissions Target to the UNFCCC, Press release, March
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4 Coral Davenport, Nations Approve Landmark
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15 Cory Honeyman, U.S. Residential Solar Economic

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16 Ibid.
17 Solar Energy Industries Association, Solar Market
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5 Maria Belenky, Achieving the U.S. 2025 Emissions

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19 American Wind Energy Association, U.S. Wind Industry

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6 O.Edenhofer and others, Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change. Contribution of Working Group
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20 U.S. Department of Energy, Wind Vision.
7 Environmental Protection Agency, FACT SHEET: Clean

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9 Ibid.
10 Union of Concerned Scientists, Cleaner Cars from
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11 Ibid., p. 11.
12 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Carbon
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24 California Air Resources Board, The Zero Emission
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28 U.S. Department of Energy, FACT #914: February
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29 Tom Randall, Heres How Electric Cars Will Cause

the Next Oil Crisis, Bloomberg Business, February
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30 Ibid.
31 International Energy Agency, Global EV Outlook:
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32 Stephen Edelstein, Electric Car Price Guide: Every
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33 Andrew Moseman, Confirmed: The $35,000 Tesla
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34 Randall, Heres How Electric Cars Will Cause the Next
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35 U.S. Department of Energy, Electric Charging Locations
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36 Jay Cole, Plug-In Vehicle Adoption: State By State, And
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37 U.S. Department of Energy, Electric Charging Locations
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38 Excluding Tesla, which uses its own charging technology that is incompatible with DC fast chargers; Mark
Kane, EVgo Announces Three Major Partnerships in
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39 CarStations, Map of charging stations, available at
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40 Tesla, Supercharger, available at https://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger (last accessed April 2016).
41 Toronto Atmospheric Fund, Fleetwise EV300: Findings
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42 Idaho National Laboratory, Plugged In: How Americans
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43 Ibid., pp. 14-15.
44 U.S. Energy Information Administration, Total electricity sales fell in 2015 for 5th time in past 8 years, Today
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45 U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-term
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46 Steven Nadel, 35 years of energy efficiency progress,

35 more years of energy efficiency opportunity, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, June 30,
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47 Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, Detailed Summary Maps, available at http://
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50 Ibid., p. 8.
51 Scott Shepard, Plug-In Vehicles: For Utilities, More
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52 Edison Electric Institute, Memorandum of Understanding Between the Department of Energy and Edison
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53 Ibid.
54 Robert Walton, IHS: Electric vehicle charging infrastructure poised to grow globally, Utility Dive, June 16,
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55 Navigant Research, Vehicle-Grid Integration Services
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56 Brad Berman, Electric Vehicles and the Smart Grid,
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57 Navigant Research, Vehicle-Grid Integration Services
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58 Energy and Environmental Economics and ICF International, California Transportation Electrification Assessment Phase 2: Grid Impacts (2014), p. 19, available at
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59 Energy Foundation, How Utilities Can Drive the Future
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60 Laurie Guevara-Stone and David Posner, A California

Utility Explores Time-Sensitive Electricity Pricing, Rocky
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61 Ibid., p. 17.
62 Zach McDonald, Which Utilities Offer Time-of-Use
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63 Guevara-Stone and Posner, A California Utility Explores
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64 San Diego Gas & Electric, EV Rates, available at http://
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66 Sunny Trochaniak, Is TOU pricing enough for electric
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67 CrossChasm, Canadas First Residential Smart Charging
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69 U.S. Department of Energy, Developing Infrastructure
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70 Tom Saxton, Understanding Electric Vehicle Charging,
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72 Silver Spring Networks, The Dollarsand Senseof
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73 Kansas City Power & Light, KCP&L Clean Charge
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74 Ibid.
75 Peter Kelly-Detwiler, KCP&L Looking to Make Kansas
City An Electric Vehicle Hotspot, Forbes, August 11,
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77 Edison International, SCE Receives CPUC Approval for

Charge Ready Pilot Program; Will Install As Many As
1,500 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Southland,
Press release, January 14, 2016, available at http://
newsroom.edison.com/releases/sce-receives-cpucapproval-for-charge-ready-pilot-program;-will-installas-many-as-1-500-electric-vehicle-charging-stations-insouthland.
78 Max Baumhefner, San Diego Gas & Electric to Use
Electric Cars to Integrate Renewable Energy, Natural
Resources Defense Council Expert blog, January 28,
2016, available at http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/
mbaumhefner/san_diego_gas_electric_to_use_.html.
79 Robert Walton, How SDG&E wants to power the electric vehicle market, Utility Dive, October 8, 2014, available at http://www.utilitydive.com/news/how-sdgewants-to-power-the-electric-vehicle-market/315887/.
80 Ibid.
81 California Electric Transportation Coalition and Energy
and Environmental Economics, San Diego Gas & Electric Vehicle-Grid Integration Pilot Program, available at
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82 Herman K. Trabish, As regulators pump brakes, whats
next for PG&Es EV charging program? Utility Dive,
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83 Ibid.; George Avalos, California PUC Rejects Plan for
Electric Vehicle Charging Station Network, GovTech,
September 8, 2015, available at http://www.govtech.
com/fs/California-PUC-Rejects-Plan-for-Electric-VehicleCharging-Station-Network.html.
84 Proposed Settlement Agreement to CPUC by PG&E,
March 21, 2016, available at http://greenlining.org/
wp-content/uploads/2016/03/JtMotiontoAdoptSettlementAll-03-21-16.pdf (last accessed March 2016).
85 Ibid.
86 Eric Borden, Energy Policy Analyst, Prepared Direct
Testimony of Eric Borden Regarding Pacific Gas and
Electric Companys Supplement to Application 15-02009 for an Electric Vehicle Infrastructure and Education
Program, Testimony before the Public Utilities Commission of the State of California, November 30, 2015.
87 Ibid.
88 Office of Ratepayer Advocates, Electric Vehicles (EVs):
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2016).
89 Ibid.
90 Anne C. Mulkern, Calif. utility sparks debate, proposing
to install 25,000 charging stations to promote electric
vehicles, E&E News, February 10, 2015, available at
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91 Ibid.
76 Kyle Field, California Public EV Charging Expansion Comes With Growing Pains, CleanTechnica,
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92 George Avalos, PG&E plan to build network of electric

vehicle charging stations in northern and central
California is turned back, The Mercury News, September
4, 2015, available at http://www.mercurynews.com/
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93 Julia Pyper, PG&E Submits a Revised Plan to Build up

to 7,500 EV Chargers, Greentech Media, October 20,
2015, available at http://www.greentechmedia.com/
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94 The Utility Reform Network, PG&E Ignores CPUC Order,
Demands Excessive, Unnecessary Electric Vehicle
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95 Sierra Club, Diverse Coalition Backs Plan for Deployment of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Northern
California, Press release, March 21, 2016, available at
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96 New York State Energy Research and Development
Authority, Compilation of Utility Commission Initiatives
Related to Plug-in Electric Vehicles and Electric Vehicle
Supply Equipment (2013), p. 25, available at https://
www.nyserda.ny.gov/-/media/Files/Publications/
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97 Application of San Diego Gas & Electric Company
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98 C.C. Song, Electric Vehicles: Whos Left Stranded?

(Oakland, CA: The Greenlining Institute, 2011), p. 8,
available at http://greenlining.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/ElectricVehiclesReport.pdf.
99 Edison International, SCE Receives CPUC Approval for
Charge Ready Pilot Program; Will Install As Many As
1,500 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Southland,
Press releases, January 14, 2016, available at http://
newsroom.edison.com/releases/sce-receives-cpucapproval-for-charge-ready-pilot-program;-will-installas-many-as-1-500-electric-vehicle-charging-stations-insouthland.
100 Proposed Settlement Agreement to CPUC by PG&E,
March 21, 2016, available at http://greenlining.org/
wp-content/uploads/2016/03/JtMotiontoAdoptSettlementAll-03-21-16.pdf (last accessed March 2016).
101 California Public Utilities Commission, CPUC Files
Settlement That Will Bring Electric Vehicle Charging
Infrastructure to Californias Diverse Communities,
Press release, April 27, 2015, available at http://docs.
cpuc.ca.gov/PUBLISHED/NEWS_RELEASE/165145.htm.
102 Eric Borden, Energy Policy Analyst, Prepared Rebuttal
Testimony of Eric Borden Regarding PG&Es Application
15-02-009 for an Electric Vehicle Infrastructure and
Education Program, Testimony before the Public Utilities Commission of the State of California, December
21, 2015.

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Electric Utilities and The Future of Clean Transportation

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AP PHOTO/RICH PEDRONCELLI

Electric Utilities and the

Electric Utilities and the

1 Introduction and summary

Introduction and summary

By implementing these recommendations, utilities can encourage a large customer

The need to electrify the

Cleaning up electricity: The surge forward with renewables

Current state of electric

Sales of electric vehicles

Electric vehicle growth

Electric vehicles provide a new source of electricity demand

incentives, personal tax credits or deductions, property tax incentives, or sales

Electric vehicles as storage

The role of electric utilities in

Incentivize and support electric vehicle ownership and

Time of use rates

Incentives to use renewables for electric vehicle charging

Invest directly in electric vehicle infrastructure

Utilities can support electric vehicle charging by investing directly in residential

Concerns about direct utility investment

Expanding electric vehicle access to underserved areas

Carbon Fuel Standard revenue to give low-income drivers a rebate upfront on

About the authors

13 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Clean Power

2 Unless otherwise specified, electric vehicle refers to

14 Daniel Cusick, Renewables Boom Expected Thanks

3 The White House, Fact Sheet: U.S. Reports its 2025

15 Cory Honeyman, U.S. Residential Solar Economic

5 Maria Belenky, Achieving the U.S. 2025 Emissions

19 American Wind Energy Association, U.S. Wind Industry

20 U.S. Department of Energy, Wind Vision.

7 Environmental Protection Agency, FACT SHEET: Clean

21 U.S. Department of Energy, Electric Vehicle Charging

29 Tom Randall, Heres How Electric Cars Will Cause

46 Steven Nadel, 35 years of energy efficiency progress,

60 Laurie Guevara-Stone and David Posner, A California

77 Edison International, SCE Receives CPUC Approval for

92 George Avalos, PG&E plan to build network of electric

93 Julia Pyper, PG&E Submits a Revised Plan to Build up

98 C.C. Song, Electric Vehicles: Whos Left Stranded?

The Center for American

We develop new policy ideas,

And we believe an effective

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