The purpose of the North Coast Plug-In Electric Vehicle Charging Network project was to facilitate plug-in electric vehicle travel in the region. This project represents the implementation of extensive planning efforts completed as part of the North Coast Plug-in Electric Vehicle Readiness Project. Key tasks included installing ten electric vehicle charging stations at nine locations in Humboldt County, the successful demonstration of a not-for-profit electric vehicle charging stations owner/operator model, the development of a novel hardware and software solution to address parking scarcity at St. Joseph Hospital, and data collection from network operations.
Important lessons were learned in the process of designing, installing, and operating the network. Specific site-host requirements for electric vehicle charging stations installation added cost and complexity. A more thorough exploration of site-host requirements during the site selection process would have changed site rankings. Stations provided by electric vehicle supply equipment with LLC have proven to be unreliable. Choosing electric vehicle charging stations with a simpler design is critical for network sustainability, especially in rural communities.
Even with these challenges, the first phase of the North Coast Plug-In Electric Vehicle Charging Network has been a success. The unique, not-for-profit owner/operator model has been essential in building a network of electric vehicle charging stations in areas most critical for sustainability of the network, not just in areas with the strongest business case. Continued funding for projects with a similar ownership model will be critical to sustained plug-in electric vehicle adoption in rural and hard-to-reach areas.
Author(s)
Dana Boudreau, Redwood Coast Energy Authority; David Carter, Schatz Energy Research Center; Kristen Radecsky, Schatz Energy Research Center; Pierce Schwalb, Redwood Coast Energy Authority
