Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) submitted a proposal to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for projects aimed at accelerating widespread electric vehicle adoption and combatting climate change.
For the seven proposed projects, PG&E is requesting a total budget of approximately $253 million. The California legislature has recognized the role of energy companies, like PG&E, in developing the necessary electric vehicle infrastructure to help the state meet climate and clean-air goals.
In California, transportation is the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions at nearly 40 percent. Through this proposal, PG&E plans to expand its initiatives to help customers and businesses reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to transportation. The electricity fueling EVs in California comes from one of the cleanest energy mixes in the country – PG&E delivers nearly 60 percent of electricity to customers from greenhouse gas-free resources.
PG&E’s proposal addresses three specific areas:
– Expanding the electrification for fleets with medium- and heavy-duty vehicles including school buses, transit agencies and delivery fleets that often use diesel, a highly polluting fuel. To address air pollution issues in the state, PG&E suggests a five-year project with a budget of $211 million that would build “make-ready” electric infrastructure for medium- to heavy-duty and off-road fleets.
– Responding to consumer demand for fast-charging stations, which can refuel EVs in 20-30 minutes, PG&E proposes to complement state and privately funded fast charger deployments with new electric infrastructure. In prior years, this type of infrastructure has been slow to develop due to the high costs and complexity of installations. The company’s five-year $22 million recommendation includes offering a significant rebate toward the purchase of a fast charger for sites in disadvantaged communities.
PG&E will utilize the findings from a new report and interactive map developed in partnership with the University of California, Davis to support and facilitate the installation of fast chargers in Northern and Central California.
– Exploring new uses for vehicle electrification through five, one-year projects for an overall budget of $20 million. These include a range of projects for both consumers and heavier-duty vehicles and focus on: simplifying charging for residential customers; exploring commercial smart vehicle charging; and requesting third parties to submit potential electrification projects to the company.
