Co-ops Should Start EV Infrastructure Planning Now

Bloomberg predicts electric vehicle (EV) charging will increase U.S. power consumption 11 percent by 2040. Cooperatives will play a key role in ensuring infrastructure is available to their members who want to drive EVs.

Erika Myers, principal of Transportation Electrification for the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA), joined CFC moderators in a recent webinar to make the case for starting the EV infrastructure planning process now.

Watch the EV Strategies for Co-ops Webinar Replay

CFC members can watch a replay of the July 13 Extra Credit Education Series broadcast, “Charging Toward the Future: EV Strategies for Co-ops,” to learn more about best practices for organizing a strong cross-functional EV team and prioritizing the member experience at each level of EV infrastructure planning and project implementation.

“Utilities often focus on infrastructure deployment because it is commonly cited as one of the largest barriers to EV deployment,” Myers explained. “With billions of dollars of charging infrastructure being installed in the United States, it is critical that the utility industry share best practices to quickly and efficiently build the necessary charging network.”

Three Steps for Cooperatives to Start Now

1. Cooperatives should start EV infrastructure planning now. Required upgrades could take years to complete with an estimated $75 to $125 billion of electric sector investment by 2030 to meet the charging needs of 20 million EVs, according to a recent The Brattle Group report. A strategic EV infrastructure plan is important because it will help cooperatives prioritize EV programs to meet their members’ needs.
2. A strong cross-functional EV team is vital to lead the cooperative through program launch and project implementation. The dedicated team should have a broad scope, access to funding and authority to make decisions.
3. Prioritize the member experience at each level of EV infrastructure planning and project implementation. The best planning and project implementations consider how the member experience is impacted by each step.

Don’t miss upcoming Extra Credit Education Series and Financial Series webinars. Log in to the CFC Member Website to register or watch a replay.