Kenya Power Generation Corporation plans to install 3,000 MW of additional renewable energy capacity
With all electric vehicles expected to be on the roads within 5 years, the question is, how will gas station owners turn their vast network of pumps into chargers?
Gas stations and electric vehicle chargers are distant cousins ​​that have yet to be met. If you had a gas station, wouldn’t you install at least one charger and plan on adding more as needed? But in the US, gas station owners, whose properties often include a convenience store to boost profitability, appear to be blind to an inevitable future in which electric vehicles will dominate personal and business transportation.
On Earth Day this year, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stood in front of Union Station in Washington, D.C. and spoke about the most important modes of transportation he would have: Amtrak, public buses, subways and private cars. He also reminded the audience that the transportation sector is the biggest contributor to the country’s greenhouse gas emissions and that his decisions revolve around “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spark an electric vehicle revolution.”
Buttigieg said the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) “has designated about 166,000 miles of national highways as alternative fuel corridors spanning 49 states and the District of Columbia. This includes 59,000 miles of EV corridors.” produce electric vehicles while making them affordable for the average household.”
The traditional automotive industry is forced to switch to electric vehicles. While an all-electric implementation will take a decade, more than 100 models will be available to consumers by the end of 2021.
According to the DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center, today 80 percent of DC fast charging stations and Tier 2 charging stations—the fastest way to charge electric vehicles—are located in 10 types of facilities: hotels and apartment buildings, car dealerships. , shopping center and parking. For any audience—low-income customers, fleets, and apartment dwellers who don’t have garages with 120 or 240-volt outlets—the need for DC fast charging centers is inevitable. Gas stations would be ideal places to recharge.
National Advancing Convenience & Fuel Retailing estimates that 40 million gasoline transactions are made every day. This is a big pump.
Are retailers taking the risk of installing charging stations today? Let’s take a look at the industry arguments against installing electric vehicle chargers.
John Eichberger, executive director of the Fuel Institute, which is actively researching ways to make the upcoming energy transition as smooth as possible, told CBS News that this uncertainty leaves owners with “observant, anecdotal and speculative” decisions when it comes to making a decision. electric vehicle market.
Pumping gas requires the active participation of one person from the beginning to the end of the refueling process. Charging an EV on a level 2 charger will take at least some time, and people in EVs will want to get out of their cars and replenish their time since a low EV battery will take longer to charge than a liquid tank. Gas stations should step up their game by offering:
RS Automotive in Takoma Park, Maryland, is the first gas station in the United States to be completely converted to an electric vehicle charging station, according to NPR. The blue-and-white signs at gas stations and electric vehicle chargers that show electric vehicles charging instead of dollar and cent gas prices look very similar and familiar to passing drivers.
Owner Depeshwar Doli, who bought the offline gas station and repair shop in 1997, said he had bad contracts, volatile gas prices and store break-ins. Fed up, he decided to turn off the fuel pump. Having taken out a personal loan to remove the underground tanks from the station, Dawley plans to focus on the repair shop’s income.
But one call from the city changed everything. Is he interested in turning his filling station into a fully equipped charging center? To that end, it will receive a $786,000 grant to cover the cost of the switch — a combination of government funding and funding from the Baltimore Electric Vehicle Institute (EVI).
Today, Doley receives 66 percent of its revenue from fees, and EVI 33 percent. The current rate is $2.50 plus $0.20 per minute. Doley pays for the power supply, while EVI pays for the maintenance of the chargers.
His 17-year-old daughter Teresa persuaded her father to switch to exercises. Like many youth advocates, she presents everything as a way to mitigate the climate crisis. “I think that encourages people to buy an electric car, and a lot of people don’t want to buy an electric car because they’re worried they won’t be able to charge it. And I think if you make it more accessible, then people are more likely to want to try it.”
Converted business is limited to 8 to 10 charges per day. But Doli is full of hope as he receives inquiries from gas station owners and electric vehicle owners wanting to visit. He also converted a former shop at the station into a charging room with black leather chairs and Wi-Fi. He decided not to sell food in the waiting room, in part to encourage drivers to explore the area while their cars charge, which takes 15 to 30 minutes.
Ramon Dawes, who runs the Roland Unisex Barbershop next door to RS Automotive, has yet to notice a change in his customer base. “But it’s a learning curve,” Dawes said. “Something must be done. Save the planet, step by step.”
Eichberger said investors with big pockets are in “acquisition mode”, looking to “swallow” real estate that can be built to give clients all the space, convenience and fuel options they need. Gas stations and electric vehicle chargers seem to be coming sooner than many think.
Caroline Fortuna (“They”, “They”), PhD, author, researcher and educator with a lifelong commitment to environmental justice. Caroline has received awards from the Anti-Defamation League, the International Literacy Association, and the Levy Foundation. Caroline is a small investor in Tesla. Follow Caroline on Twitter and Facebook.
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