Is Policy Action Alone Enough to Reach Net Zero by 2050?
Recently, BloombergNEF published a telling article titled, “Electric Vehicle Sales Set to Rise Faster Than Ever, but More Policy Action Needed to Get on Track for Net Zero.” The author raises many interesting observations about where we are now in the transition to electric mobility; where we’re projected to be in 10, 20 and even 30 years based on current trajectories; and what we need to do if we’re going to be net zero by 2050.
Photo Courtesy of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
In short, the driving theme of the article seems to be that further government policies will be required to spur innovation, adoption and acceptance of EV technology. And while we certainly agree that this is a crucial factor, it fails to highlight the equal importance of private firms like EVCS to do the work once policies are in place since the government is not in the business of installing infrastructure.
Below are several salient points BNEF makes and how we’re helping to affect solutions in the space.
“Reaching net zero by mid-century will require all hands on deck, particularly for trucks and other heavy commercial vehicles where the transition has barely started.”
BNEF works feverishly to drive home the idea that commercial vehicles will be a key driver in the transition to electric. The author notes that two- and three-wheelers are already in heavy use throughout developing countries and that cars and light commercial vehicles are on a positive trajectory, but states, ominously, that “the outlook is far more problematic in the heavier commercial vehicle segments.” EVCS has started tackling the problem by targeting municipalities, large commercial businesses and fleet operators with increased marketing efforts, no-cost installation packages, subscription plans, and high-tech networking software featuring customized demand response and real-time performance monitoring.
“By 2040 the charging network needs to grow to over 309 million chargers across all locations… [including] public chargers (24 million), workplace chargers (12 million) and bus and truck chargers (4 million).”
We have been leading the way in the installation of new chargers across Southern California, installing more than half of all non-Tesla DCFCs in Los Angeles alone since 2020. Our site hosts have included government, retail, industrial, educational, workplace and multi-unit residential properties, many of which are hugely influential and committed to embracing electric. See a spattering of our clients here: https://evcs.com/customers/prominent-clients. In addition, we have consistently lobbied for greater subsidization of the EV industry on local, state and federal levels as we strategize our expansion into other areas of the country. Our know-how and experience will make EVCS a key asset in executing once government policy directives are in place.
Photo Courtesy of Pixabay
“Most of the extra demand for electricity globally in the decades ahead will be met by building additional renewable energy capacity, according to BNEF forecasts.”
Our insistence on powering the EVCS charging network through renewable sources has been consistent almost since our inception, and this year, we were able to come one step closer to a carbon negative future by arranging to buy all our electricity from renewable energy producers through credit offsets. This financial commitment allows said producers to reinvest in expansion and innovation so that, someday, offsets will no longer be needed because widespread renewables will make fossil fuels a thing of the past.
“For chargers [under the Net Zero Scenario], $939 billion would be required in investment by 2040 to install 504 million units.”
The goal of a planet with net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 is a noble one, and large government investments will be key in facilitating the transition away from ICEs and fossil fuel-based infrastructure, but private organizations have to be ready to take up the mantle and execute the goals that government officials put forth. EVCS has been active in streamlining the assessment, permitting, installation and maintenance processes through a unique, no-hassle turnkey solution that maximizes the return on government investment. In other words, yes, subsidies are absolutely required, but once approved, we know what to do with them.
Last week, governor Gavin Newsom made major headlines when he announced through executive order that California will prohibit the sale of new gas-powered cars and trucks starting in 2035 – just 15 years away. Additional regulations will call for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to be carbon-neutral by 2045. For those of us who have been decrying the slow transition from pollutant-emitting internal combustion engines to more efficient ones powered by zero-emission lithium-ion batteries, it was welcomed news.
When we bought the Oregon and Washington State legs of the West Coast Electric Highway (WCEH) earlier this summer, our goal was to promote the idea of responsible mobility by providing a carbon-neutral infrastructure that allowed EV drivers greater freedom of range in their travels. We hoped this would be welcomed news during a time when so many other distractions were dominating the news cycle. But as the pandemic persisted and the effects of the lockdown continued to ravage local economies, we realized that our contiguous network of DC fast chargers might serve another equally noble if somewhat unintended purpose: to facilitate much-needed tourism activity at some of the Pacific Northwest’s most picturesque points of interest.
It can sometimes be difficult to wade through the flurry of sustainable energy bills being proposed in Congress. Several of them are in various stages of the legislative process at any one time, and many never make it out of committee. However, the recently announced Build GREEN Act seems destined for the President’s desk at some point soon, as it comes during a time when crumbling infrastructure and the need to create jobs has become a priority for the current administration. It also has the backing of five powerful progressives in Congress – Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Ed Markey (D-MA) along with House Reps Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Andrew Levin (D-MI).
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
