Electric utilities and their regulators in areas with high electricity rates face tension between being obligated to support decarbonization and electrification objectives but also keep rates affordable for consumers. These competing objectives create an information gap and can slow down decision-making for regulators, utilities, and businesses.
The brief “The cost of energizing medium and heavy-duty truck charging facilities in the United States” published by the International Council On Clean Transportation finds that the estimated total cost of a small depot charging facility prototype is $7.9 million, a medium charging facility is $15.4 million, and a large prototype has a total cost of $15 million. In all three prototypes, FTM costs are predictable between $2.5 million and $2.9 million and at most account for 31.2% of the total project budget. The variation in cost primarily comes from behind-the-meter investments. The brief also discusses cost-saving options for customers and utilities in both project design and site selection.
To reduce costs, stakeholders could:
- Improve coordination between utilities and developers in site planning
- Use grid capacity maps to choose optimal locations for charging facilities
- Consider managed charging and on-site battery/solar systems to reduce load on the grid
- Use modular, prefabricated equipment to reduce installation time and costs
Access the brief here