On November 23, BC3 and non-BC3 members gathered for a workshop on electric vehicles. The event was co-sponsored by the Business Council on Climate Change, the California Center for Sustainable Energy, San Francisco Clean Cities Coalition, and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and was a one-stop shop for information on the roll-out of electric vehicles in the Bay Area. Presentations included details on the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, local utility programs and air district programs, and the build-out of California's electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
Transportation accounts for about 40 percent of the Bay Area's carbon footprint, much of which is attributed to personal vehicle use. Widespread adoption of electric vehicles can significantly reduce Bay Area emissions from the transportation sector. Our EV workshop aimed to help Bay Area businesses take advantage of clean vehicle rebates and financial incentives, while providing them with the tools needed to start their own EV programs.



Highlights (and Podcasts!) from the Workshop
Clean Vehicle Rebate Project
David Almeida, from the CA Center for Sustainable Energy, provided an overview of the CVRP highlighting the application process, project funding and frequently asked questions.

Bay Area EV Incentives
Karen Schkolnick, from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) introduced the BAAQMD's proposed electric vehicle infrastructure incentive program, which includes $5 million in funding for residential and public charging stations. PODCAST To hear Karen discuss BAAQMD's EV initiatives, including 402 new chargepoints throughout the Bay Area, please click here. For an overview of their $5 million dollar grant towards EV charging infrastructure, please click here.

EV Impact to Grid and Utilities
Jim Larson of PG&E described PG&E’s electric vehicle program, including necessary infrastructure upgrades, potential EV rates for customers and other services offered.  PODCAST To hear Jim discuss the expected rate of electric vehicle deployment in PG&E's territory, please click here. For a discussion of the electrical load of EVs and strategies to make them cleaner vehicles, please click here.

Battery Swap Program
Vandana Bali, from Better Place discussed the approach behind BetterPlace’s battery switching and charging stations and provided more information about the EV taxi demonstration project in the Bay Area.

EV Charging Infrastructure
David Wang from General Electric outlined the technology behind GE’s WattStation and offered more detail on consumer interaction with private and public charging stations. For specific questions regarding GE's program, contact David at david.p.wang@ge.com. PODCAST To hear David discuss the need for EV infrastructure and GE's hope to fill that need, please click here. For a discussion of the design features of GE's WattStation, please click here.