November 1, 2013
New Electric Vehicle Charging Station Open at SUNY Empire State College
Public-Private Partnership Part of the Statewide Charge NY Initiative
.SUNY Empire State College President Merodie A. Hancock, center with scissors, is joined by William Flaherty of National Grid, far left, Rep. Paul D. Tonko, D-NY, Scott Johnson, mayor of Saratoga Springs, Mark Torpey of NYSERDA and Andy Balmuth of ChargePoint at the ribbon cutting for the new ChargePoint EV charging station. The new station is located at 113 West Ave., the college’s LEED Silver-certified facility. (Photo/Empire State College)
(SARATOGA SPRINGS N.Y. – Nov. 1, 2013) SUNY Empire State College today unveiled a new electric vehicle charging station at its 113 West Ave. facility.
By adding more energy-efficient technology to this Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver-certified building, the college advances its overall efforts in environmental sustainability; increases access for the citizens of the state to cleaner, more efficient modes of transportation; and helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Open to the public for charging at no cost, the public-private partnership that led to the installation of this new EV charging station is the result of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s Charge NY initiative.
Partnership representatives from the college, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, ChargePoint and National Grid were joined by U.S. Rep. Paul D. Tonko, D-N.Y., for the unveiling and ribbon cutting of the new ChargePoint EV charging station.
Rep. Paul D. Tonko, D-NY, talks with Jackie St. Onge of Ballston Lake as St. Onge recharges her EV. St. Onge, who retired from the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake School District as assistant superintendent, explains how her car works and why she decided to purchase and EV. (Photo/Empire State College)
“Decreasing our dependence on foreign energy and boosting the green-collar job market must include efforts on the local level, and I am excited to see more investment in sustainability here in Saratoga Springs,” said Tonko. “I am hopeful that Gov. Cuomo’s Charge NY initiative will serve as an example to other states as to what responsible investment in environmental sustainability can mean to our economy, our environment and our job market. When private and public sectors work together, everyone wins.”
SUNY Empire State College President Merodie A. Hancock greets guests and partners from NYSERDA, National Grid and ChargePoint at the unveiling of the ChargePoint EV charging station at 113 West Ave., the college’s LEED Silver-certified building. (Photo/Empire State College)
“SUNY Empire State College jumped at the opportunity to take advantage of Gov. Cuomo’s Charge NY initiative and to install a new EV charging station in Saratoga Springs,” said Hancock. “Thanks to the leadership of the governor and our partners at ChargePoint, NYSERDA and National Grid, the college will advance its commitment to the environment and the citizens of the state. Empire State College’s commitment to environmental sustainability goes beyond facilities and employee programs and is now part of the college’s curriculum. Beginning this September, the college began offering a credit-bearing undergraduate certificate in business and environmental sustainability, which is applicable to a bachelor’s degree.”
SUNY Empire State College President Merodie A. Hancock, center right, is joined by William Flaherty of National Grid, far left, Andy Balmuth of ChargePoint, Scott Johnson, Saratoga Springs’ mayor, Arthur Bozogian, a college employee who recharged his hybrid vehicle at the event, Mark Torpey of NYSERDA and Rep. Paul D. Tonko, D-NY, take time for a photograph as Bozogian’s vehicle re-charges at the ChargePoint EV charging station. (Photo/Empire State College)
“I applaud Empire State College's efforts to promote electric vehicles through this investment in EV charging station technology," said John B. Rhodes, president and CEO, NYSERDA. “Thanks to Gov. Cuomo's Charge NY initiative, the state is continuing to see an increase in investment and use of electric vehicles, helping to reduce New York's greenhouse gas emission while increasing our reliance on a cleaner form of transportation.”
“Plug-in electric vehicles are more than just a new, fun way to get around. They’re a major part of a cleaner, more efficient transportation future,” said William Flaherty, director of customer and community management at National Grid. “This newest charging station at Empire State College is the latest in a series of stations that we’ve been able to install thanks to Gov. Cuomo’s Charge NY initiative and this partnership with NYSERDA and ChargePoint. At National Grid, we’re committed to making this new technology more viable and cost-effective for our customers now, and for the future.”
Arthur Bozogian, a SUNY Empire State College employee and resident of Saratoga Springs, recharges his hybrid vehicle at the new ChargePoint EV charging station at 113 West Ave., the college’s LEED Silver-certified facility. Bozogian was at the unveiling of the new recharging station, made possible by a public private partnership resulting from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s Charge NY initiative. (Photo/Empire State College)
“This public-private partnership will provide more public charging stations furthering the state and college’s commitment to the community and environment,” said ChargePoint Vice President of Sales Scott Miller. “Perhaps most importantly, this partnership can serve as a model for other states. It is efforts like this that will continue to drive the EV industry forward and push adoption nationally.”
In addition to National Grid’s Flaherty, Mark Torpey, director of clean energy research and market development for NYSERDA, Andrew Balmuth, sales director, ChargePoint, and many of the college’s regional center deans represented their respective organizations at the event.
About Charge NY
ChargePoint will deploy more than 80 EV charging stations throughout New York state, 67 of which will be located in National Grid’s service area in upstate New York, thanks to a $1 million award from NYSERDA.
New York is laying the foundation to be the next big state for electric vehicles. There are more than 3,000 registered electric vehicles in New York state alone and public EV infrastructure is necessary for the adoption of electric vehicles. Gov. Cuomo's Charge NY initiative calls for ramping up investment in EV charging stations around the state.
Elements of Charge NY include:
$50M over five years to help install more than 3,000 public and workplace charging stations
Public Service Commission: Reform Regulations, Time of Use Rates, utility rebates, clarifying ownership and pricing streamlining permits
state fleet demonstrations.
About Rep. Paul D. Tonko
Congressman Paul D. Tonko represents New York’s 20th Congressional District, including the communities of Albany, Schenectady, Troy, Saratoga Springs and Amsterdam. He represents all of Albany and Schenectady counties and parts of Montgomery, Rensselaer and Saratoga counties. He is serving his third term, after first being sworn into Congress in 2009. Tonko serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee, the oldest standing committee in the House, created in December of 1795. He is the first upstate New York Democratic member of the committee since Leo O'Brien, who resigned the post in October 1966.
About SUNY Empire State College
SUNY Empire State College was established in 1971 to offer adult learners the opportunity to earn associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the State University of New York.
In addition to awarding credit for prior college-level learning, the college pairs each student with a faculty mentor who supports that student throughout his or her college career. Students engage in guided independent study and course work onsite, online or a combination of both, which provides the flexibility for students to learn at the time, place and pace they choose.
The college serves more than 20,000 students worldwide at more than 35 locations in the state of New York and online. Its 70,000 alumni are active in their communities as entrepreneurs, politicians, business professionals, artists, nonprofit agency employees, teachers, veterans and active military, union members and more. More information about the college is available here.
About NYSERDA
NYSERDA, a public benefit corporation, offers objective information and analysis, innovative programs, technical expertise and funding to help New Yorkers increase energy efficiency, save money, use renewable energy and reduce their reliance on fossil fuels. NYSERDA professionals work to protect the environment and create clean-energy jobs. NYSERDA has been developing partnerships to advance innovative energy solutions in New York since 1975.
About National Grid
National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE:NGG) is an electricity and gas company that connects consumers to energy sources through its networks. The company is at the heart of one of the greatest challenges facing society - to create new, sustainable energy solutions for the future and developing an energy system that underpins economic prosperity in the 21st century. National Grid holds a vital position at the center of the energy system and it ‘joins everything up’.
In the northeast U.S, the company connects more than 7 million gas and electric customers to vital energy sources, essential for modern lifestyles. In Great Britain, the company runs the gas and electricity systems that society is built on, delivering gas and electricity across the country.
National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island. It manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), and owns more than 4,000 megawatts of contracted electricity generation, providing power to over 1 million LIPA customers. It is the largest distributor of natural gas in northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
For more information please visit: www.nationalgridus.com. Follow Twitter (@nationalgridus), watch You Tube (www.youtube.com/nationalgrid?gl=GB&user=nationalgrid), friend Facebook (www.facebook.com/nationalgrid).
About ChargePoint
ChargePoint is the largest and most open EV charging network in the world, with more than 13,500 charging locations and a market share of more than 65 percent. Ranked first by leading independent research firm Pike Research, ChargePoint makes advanced hardware and best-in-class cloud based software. ChargePoint’s open network is utilized by many leading EV hardware makers and encourages all EV charging manufacturers to join.
ChargePoint also manages the only mobile app that provides EV drivers with real-time information, including availability of charging locations throughout the nation. Every 15 seconds, a driver connects to a ChargePoint station and by initiating more than 3,000,000 charging sessions, ChargePoint drivers have saved 3.5 million gallons of gasoline and prevented 36 million pounds of CO2 emissions.
For more information about ChargePoint, visit www.chargepoint.com.
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Media contacts:
Sean Magers, Rep. Paul D. Tonko (D-N.Y.)
202-225-5076
David Henahan, director of communications, SUNY Empire State College
518-587-2100, ext. 2918
518-321-7038, cell
Alan Wechsler, communications specialist, NYSERDA
518-862-1090 ext. 3561
Patrick Stella, National Grid
(518) 433-3838
patrick.stella@nationalgrid.com
Erin Mellon, ChargePoint media
408-841-4575
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