Electric Vehicle Charging Projects May Apply for $30M Share in Government Funds

The California Energy Commission announced this week that EV charging projects that are poised to begin construction in the Bay Area could receive their share of $30 million in incentive funds.

In an effort to strengthen the state’s electric vehicle charging network, energy officials have committed funds to turnkey projects in 30 counties across the state. Projects in all nine Bay Area counties are eligible for funding.

The funds come from the state’s Golden State Priority Project, which is an initiative to accelerate the infrastructure of fast-charging stations in low-income and tribal communities.

CEC Commissioner Patty Monahan said the money is intended to “fill a gap” in areas where there are few places to charge electric vehicles and ultimately ease the transition for all Californians to cleaner transportation.

“This new model is designed to quickly and fairly deploy charging infrastructure so that every EV driver feels confident they can fill up, a need that is especially important in rural, low-income and tribal communities,” Monahan said.

Businesses, community organizations, and community organizations with construction projects in disadvantaged areas are encouraged to apply by March 10. Facilities may include airports, gas stations, universities, public transportation hubs, and other places accessible to the public.

Winners will receive discounts to purchase and install up to 20 fast chargers on the site at a cost of $100,000 per connector.

More information about the initiative can be found on the project’s web page here.