CUB’s Electric Vehicle Project Charges Ahead

It has been over a month since I joined CUB to serve as the CUB Policy Center’s new Community Outreach Specialist on Electric Vehicles. It seems unreal that five weeks have gone by since I first walked through the doors of CUB’s office, straight from Union Station and carrying my luggage. In this short time, I’ve learned an incredible amount about energy regulation under the Public Utilities Commission, Smart Grid technologies, utility companies in Oregon, consumer advocacy, and, of course, electric vehicles. I’ve also had the opportunity learn about and observe the dynamic world of public policymaking, which I studied as an undergraduate student but have never experienced firsthand.

I’ve also expanded my knowledge of downtown Portland’s food carts, but that’s a topic for a different blog….

During my first two weeks at CUB, I dedicated myself to learning about EVs, with a focus on their deployment here in Oregon. I also had the amazing opportunity to meet with some of the important players in the EV discussion and observe policy-making first-hand. In my third week, I traveled with CUB Legal Intern Jeff Maslow to interview employees at Eugene’s two main electric consumer-owned utilities, EPUD and EWEB, about their companies’ plans concerning EVs. In my fourth week, CUB’s Utility Analyst, Gordon Feighner, and I observed a meeting of a policy working group focused on designing a road user fee system. On October 21st, at the CUB Policy Center’s Smart Grid Conference, I attended the panel on the deployment of EVs in Oregon, their integration with Smart Grid technologies, and unsolved barriers to adoption.

Learning directly from these key players has been my most valuable experience thus far, providing me useful and diverse insights into what’s happening in Oregon on EVs. It’s clear that many agencies and organizations in the state are doing as much as they can to encourage the spread of EVs; dozens of pilot projects, grants, and plans are in place to foster the fledging market. One of the most talked about programs is the federally-funded EV Project, which includes pilot projects in 7 states including Oregon. ECOtality, an EV charging infrastructure company granted federal money to manage the program, is partnering with the State of Oregon, various municipalities, and Nissan to install over 2,000 charging stations in Oregon by the end of the year. Data gathered from these stations will guide future infrastructure development. EPUD is promoting a similar program that will collect information about EV in-home charging to prepare for a future where EVs create a significant demand on their electric grid. CUB’s recent Smart Grid Conference, including an EV panel, where Barry Woods of Drive Oregon, Carol Dillon of Portland General Electric (PGE), and Amy Hillman of ECOtality discussed another project designed to gather data as well as illustrate to the general public what “filling up” in the future will look like. Known as “Electric Avenue”, the project features eight EV charging stations where EV owners can stop to charge their cars. This engaging demonstration site located on Portland State University’s downtown campus and is the result of a partnership between PGE, PSU, and the City of Portland.

The high level of collaboration among all the entities involved in these projects and policy discussions is very encouraging. Many leaders in government, private industry, and the non-profit sector want to see the growth of an EV transportation system and, although they are approaching this from different perspectives, are working together to make it possible. Considerable progress has been made in the past three years, in spite of a struggling economy.

Yet EVs are still facing several roadblocks. (No pun intended!) On the policy side, fair regulatory structures that will surround the charging infrastructure and road usage fee need to be finalized. Utilities must prepare for more EVs plugging into their grids and, as CUB argues, begin utilizing Smart Grid technology to make sure EVs are charged with renewable wind power, so they are truly clean, smart machines. Finally, from the consumer end, education and outreach need to be implemented more comprehensively to ensure individuals are aware of the benefits of EVs and combat myths.

Where does this project fit into all of this? As CUB’s Community Outreach Specialist, I will be bringing diverse stakeholders together around a shared vision of ensuring Oregon’s electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure maximizes the technology’s social and environmental benefits. With a set of common principles, we can approach policymakers, utilities, and auto manufacturers to make sure the EV deployment brings about a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable world.

I’ll also design an information campaign to inform Oregonians about EVs. Check back in the coming months on this blog for the unveiling of a detailed, easy-to-use website and an engaging blog documenting real EV owners’ stories. If you have any questions you’d like answered or topics you think are important to cover, let me know and I’ll do my best to incorporate it into these resources.

It’s clear that Oregon is on a journey towards a more sustainable future. Many Oregonians want to leave behind oil-addicted engines and coal-burning power plants and transition into a cleaner, greener society. With the deployment of EVs primarily charged by renewable energy, it will be possible to make that desire a reality. CUB, through my outreach project, is creating the necessary dialogue around important consumer and environmental issues so that we, as a state, can move toward that goal and be proud of what we create.

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