PG&E in program to provide E-vehicle plug-ins to low-income communities

NREL,GOV

SAN FRANCISCO — Free electrical panel upgrades to encourage electric vehicle (EV) ownership in low-income, underserved communities will provided by a new pilot program in a partnership among Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Valley Clean Air Now (Valley CAN) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Locals 684 and 100.

The PG&E Corporation Foundation will provide $75,000 in shareholder funds to cover the cost of upgrading home service panels—a commonly cited obstacle to EV adoption. IBEW Local 684 and 100 members will perform the site surveys, planning and panel installation for customers who qualify for the program.

Valley CAN, a nonprofit organization for improving air quality in California’s San Joaquin Valley, already provides up to $9,500 for local low-income homeowners to trade in their older vehicles for a used plug-in EV. Doing so is part of its ongoing participation in the California Air Resources Board’s Enhanced Fleet Modernization Program Plus-Up program, an initiative funded with revenue from California’s Cap-and-Trade program.

“Electric vehicles—and the home electrical panel upgrades that may be needed to charge them—are often beyond the reach of individuals and families living in disadvantaged communities. This pilot with Valley CAN and the IBEW Locals 684 and 100 will help us better understand how we can assist Central Valley residents,” said Melissa Lavinson, PG&E’s chief sustainability officer and vice president of federal affairs and policy.

To support job creation and capacity building, the IBEW will encourage participating local contractors to complete certification in the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program to increase the pool of trained and qualified EV equipment installers in the San Joaquin Valley, and IBEW members will then complete the panel upgrades for program participants.

“This is an innovative approach to creating clean-energy options for disadvantaged communities, while also using organized labor to provide training, quality control and good paying jobs,” said Bobby Stutzman, business manager for the IBEW Local 684.

Additionally, all car owners in the pilot program will immediately be eligible for PG&E’s Clean Fuel Rebate, which provides customers with a $500 one-time rebate for their use of electricity as a clean transportation fuel.