Workplace Level-1 EV Charging Grant 20226
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The City of Durango and LPEA are committed to promoting the adoption of electric vehicles throughout our region. A key aspect of EV adoption is exploring the most cost-effective way to implement charging infrastructure for residents and businesses. The Level-1 Workplace Charging Grant is seeking interested community partners to explore the viability of level-1 charging in a workplace setting.
Funding amount: $10,000 per applicant site. Applicants may apply for up to two separate sites ($10,000 per site). A minimum of 10% match funding is required, but this requirement may be waived for sites that can demonstrate certain criteria as outlined in the grant application.
What is Level-1 Charging? Level-1 charging consists of providing a basic, standard electrical outlet at a parking space which allows drivers to use their own portable charging cables to plug in. This approach uses much more basic infrastructure compared to the Level-2 pedestal chargers which are also becoming commonplace. While Level-1 charging is not particularly fast, it can still add 20-40 miles of range to a typical EV when plugged in over the course of an entire workday - roughly equivalent to a gallon of gas.
Why Level-1 Charging at Workplaces? As EV charging becomes more commonplace, LPEA faces the challenge of continuing to provide reliable electricity in line with its adopted renewable energy goals. By increasing EV charging during the day, more of the power going to EV charging can be derived from solar PV. Additionally, daytime EV charging shifts electrical load away from peak evening hours – unlike residential charging which adds directly to evening peaks. Furthermore, level-1 charging infrastructure can be installed at a fraction of the cost of Level-2 or DC fast charging.
Additional resources provided through the program: In addition to grant funding, the City of Durango and LPEA staff are available to provide advising on project design and parking management best practices. LPEA will also supply monitoring hardware and assist with its setup to give business owners clear visibility into how much power their chargers are using, independent of the rest of the business's energy consumption.
The Charge Ahead Colorado grant program is a separate EV charging grant program administered by the Colorado Energy Office, focused on Level-2 and Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) charging. City of Durango staff can advise applicants on how these programs may be a consideration for their site.