Newswise — CANTON, N.Y. – ChargePoint and National Grid today unveiled a new two-car electric vehicle (EV) charging station at St. Lawrence University, at an event attended by elected officials and representatives of ChargePoint, National Grid and St. Lawrence University.
“St. Lawrence University has signed the Presidents’ Climate Commitment, and we have committed to becoming climate neutral by 2040, integrating sustainability into our curriculum and helping the broader community understand and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Louise Gava, St. Lawrence University’s sustainability coordinator. “Installing the electric vehicle charging station here on our campus helps us fulfill our obligations to support the greater community.”
Thanks to $1 million in funding from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), under Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's Charge NY initiative, the ChargePoint EV charging station, located at St. Lawrence University, 23 Romoda Drive in Canton, N.Y., is one of 67 stations that will be located in National Grid’s Upstate New York service area.
“The collaboration between NYSERDA, ChargePoint and National Grid is a model of a public-private partnership working for New York State and the environment,” said Richard Burns, manager, community & customer management for National Grid. “Plug-in electric vehicles are more than just a new way to get around. They’re a major part of a cleaner, more efficient transportation future. At National Grid, we’re committed to making this new technology more viable and cost-effective for ourselves and our customers, and pleased to help make it happen in Northern New York and across New York State.”
The public-private partnership provides more than 80 EV charging stations throughout New York State, of which 7 charging stations have already been installed in Central New York, with another 10 proposed.
“We are thrilled to be part of such a successful public-private partnership and we fully support New York’s goal of installing thousands of charging stations throughout the state,” said Colleen Quinn, ChargePoint’s Vice President of Government Affairs. “We appreciate St. Lawrence University’s commitment to installing this charging station which will benefit the community and the environment.”
Earlier this year, Governor Cuomo announced Charge NY, a new program to promote EVs through investing $50 million over five years. The program calls for investment in 3,000 public and workplace charging stations by 2018, plus other steps meant to encourage the growth of electric vehicle ownership. There are already more than 500 EV charging stations around the state.
“Charging stations, like the one installed at St. Lawrence University, represent just one more step when it comes to further protecting our environment and cutting costs for consumers with fewer trips to the pump,” said New York State Senator Patricia A. Ritchie. “I applaud those involved in this project and look forward to seeing New York continue to “go green” with initiatives like this that promote energy efficiency.”
“Installing the charging station here in Canton opens the door for more North Country residents to take advantage of new technologies that can benefit their family’s bottom line. In a region where driving is often a necessity, having the ability to reduce costs, and greenhouse emissions is especially appealing. Having a charging station so close will offer residents the ability to take advantage of an increasingly popular transportation option,” said New York State Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell.
Governor Cuomo has called for $50 million to be invested over a five year period to establish 3,000 public and workplace charging stations by 2018, as well as promote the growth of electric vehicle ownership.
New York has one of the highest growth rates of electric vehicles in the country. According to New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, the number of EVs in the state has risen from about 1,000 to more than 5,000 in the past year.
“Clean Communities of CNY, on behalf of the U.S. DOE’s Clean Cities Program is proud to support the efforts of National Grid and St. Lawrence University to increase the much-needed electric vehicle infrastructure,” said Barry Carr, coordinator, Clean Communities of CNY. “Electric Vehicles, Plug-In Hybrids and all alternative fueled vehicles play a valuable role in reducing emissions, lowering our dependence on foreign oil, and providing safe, economical transportation.” Launch of the St. Lawrence University charging station coincides with the third annual National Plug In Day, held on Sept. 28-29, which serves as a nationwide celebration to heighten awareness of today’s widespread availability of plug-in vehicles and highlight the benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric cars, trucks, motorcycles and more.
About St. Lawrence University:Founded in 1856, St. Lawrence University is a private, independent liberal arts institution of about 2,400 students. The educational opportunities at St. Lawrence inspire students and prepare them to be critical and creative thinkers, to find a compass for their lives and careers, and to pursue knowledge and understanding for the benefit of themselves, humanity and the planet. Through its focus on active engagement with ideas in and beyond the classroom, a St. Lawrence education leads students to make connections that transform lives and communities, from the local to the global.
About ChargePoint:Recognized as the worldwide leader in electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, ChargePoint is the largest online network of independently-owned EV charging stations in the world - operating in more than a dozen countries with more than 13,000 charging locations.
Over 60 percent of all publicly-accessible networked EV charging stations are ChargePoint stations or run on the ChargePoint network, and nearly 40 percent of all EV drivers are ChargePoint members. Every 15 seconds someone connects their vehicle to a ChargePoint station. By initiating 2.5 million charging sessions, ChargePoint customers have saved three million gallons of gasoline and avoided 36 million pounds of CO2 emissions.
For more information about ChargePoint, visit www.chargepoint.com.
About National Grid: National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE:NGG) is an electricity and gas company that connects consumers to energy sources through its networks. The company is at the heart of one of the greatest challenges facing our society - to create new, sustainable energy solutions for the future and developing an energy system that underpins economic prosperity in the 21st century. National Grid holds a vital position at the center of the energy system and it ‘joins everything up’.
In the northeast US, we connect more than seven million gas and electric customers to vital energy sources, essential for our modern lifestyles. In Great Britain, we run the gas and electricity systems that our society is built on, delivering gas and electricity across the country.
National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island. It manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), and owns over 4,000 megawatts of contracted electricity generation, providing power to over one million LIPA customers. It is the largest distributor of natural gas in northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
For more information please visit our website: www.nationalgridus.com.
Follow us on Twitter, Watch us on YouTube, Like us on Facebook, Find our photos on Flickr.<About NYSERDA:NYSERDA, a public benefit corporation, offers objective information and analysis, innovative programs, technical expertise, and funding to help New Yorkers increase energy efficiency, save money, use renewable energy, and reduce their reliance on fossil fuels. NYSERDA professionals work to protect our environment and create clean-energy jobs. NYSERDA has been developing partnerships to advance innovative energy solutions in New York since 1975. For more information, visit http://nyserda.ny.gov/ or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram.
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