Projects
Coulomb Technologies, Inc. Grant For Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
In a program dubbed “Charge California,” Coulomb Technologies is partnering with Clean Fuel Connection and the California Car Initiative (CalCars) to establish 1,290 networked electric vehicle charging stations in the San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles areas.
The project will install charging stations for public and fleet use, and for private consumers who buy electric vehicles. Coulomb’s software application services allow consumers to locate unoccupied charging stations near their home or on their route, monitor real-time charging status of their vehicle and manage billing. The system will collect data on driver behavior and usage patterns, evaluate the system’s overall impacts on the local grid, and assist in the planning of future infrastructure installations. Coulomb is currently in the process of securing commitments from automakers including General Motors and Ford to bring electric vehicles to California, ensuring that the charging infrastructure will be in high demand.
Grant Amount
$3,417,000 from the Energy Commission’s Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Transportation Program. The U.S. Department of Energy is providing $3,354,000 of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 funds.
Match Funding
$508,000 from the project’s participants.
Project Participants
Coulomb Technologies, a Campbell-based Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) manufacturer, has installed networked electric vehicle charging stations in municipalities and organizations worldwide. Coulomb developed the nation’s first networked charging system that allows Smart Grid integration, allowing utility companies to monitor and control peak usage times.
Clean Fuel Connection, Inc. an alternative-fuel consulting firm, has helped enterprises in California evaluate and fund the acquisition of low-emission vehicles and infrastructure since 1999. Its clients include major automakers, public utilities and cities and counties throughout California.
CalCars, a Palo Alto-based non-profit start-up of engineers, environmentalists and consumers, lobbys for the growth and development of plug-in hybrid vehicles. Their most recent success is the mass deployment of the Chevy Volt.
Other participants include the Bay Area EV Steering Committee that is identifying locations for infrastructure within the San Francisco Bay Area, and numerous cities and counties in California that are helping to choose infrastructure sites.
Project Benefits
Successful completion of this project will displace approximately 500,000 gallons of gasoline a year and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2,500 tons per year. The project will bring economic benefits to the State by creating installation, maintenance, and manufacturing jobs in California.
Grant Agreement Number: ARV-09-007