Posted April 18, 2019
On March 29, Duke Energy Carolinas (DEC) and Duke Energy Progress (DEP) announced a filing with the North Carolina Utility Commission for the largest Electric Vehicle (EV) Pilot in the region, which would invest $76 million dollars in electric vehicle charging infrastructure. This proposal seeks to dramatically increase North Carolina’s charging network and double the existing fast-charger network in the Tar Heel State.
EVs: a Cornerstone to Address Climate Change
Already, as a result of the Volkswagen Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust, North Carolina has established a zero-emission vehicle infrastructure program, as well as several other complementary programs. And in 2018, North Carolina’s Governor Roy Cooper issued Executive Order 80 to address climate change and transition to a clean energy economy and included EVs as a cornerstone of his plan (discussed in greater detail here).
Achieving Governor Cooper’s ambitious EV goals will require a tremendous build-out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Duke Energy’s proposed pilot takes steps toward establishing the needed infrastructure through seven programs, grouped in three ‘buckets’ that would each substantially grow the number of charging stations available across DEC and DEP’s coverage areas in North Carolina