Yes, I know that the predictions of the climate scientists get scarier and scarier, but there are signs of hope. One that I find encouraging is the huge investment President Biden and Congress have made in electric vehicle charging infrastructure. For more than a decade I have been one of those encouraging government at all levels to invest in EV fast chargers. I have heard the arguments that EV deployment is somehow ineffective or a distraction or elitist, and I am not persuaded. It seems to me that electrifying the transport sector is a critical part of moving fossil fuels toward obsolescence, that deploying EV fast chargers throughout the nation is an essential step in making that happen, and that only massive public investment will get those chargers in place with urgency. Finally, the new federal program looks like it will make that happen.
I am also pleased that the federal program, as enacted by Congress and as implemented by USDOT, is designed to provide multiple benefits, including promoting domestic manufacturing, requiring streamlined customer access, addressing equity challenges, and adopting “comprehensive standards for the installation, operation, or maintenance of EV charging stations” (details in White House factsheet here).
As of now, state plans for spending the federal money have been adopted and initial funds have been apportioned, but we are still waiting to see major results on the ground. Having recently made an electric road trip, I can testify that access to DC fast chargers is still sketchy in much of the country. (Fun fact: there are no DC fast chargers in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, a major East Coast vacation venue.)
So, Happy Earth Day, and keep on electrifying!
