Exciting things happening in transportation technologies

The following is the eighth in a series of Odessa File columns from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Schuyler County relating to ongoing CCE educational activities and offerings.

By Chris Skawski
CCE Clean Energy Communities Intern

Over the last year, a new fixture has been quietly attracting visitors and dispatching power behind the small park on Montour Falls’ Main Street. A Level 2 electric vehicle charger was installed by ChargePoint NY in April of last year as part of the Village’s efforts to obtain designation as a Clean Energy Community. Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Schuyler County aided the Village in having it installed as part of our work in helping municipalities adopt clean energy technologies.

The Clean Energy Communities Program is one such program CCE administers under contract to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The program includes a series of action items designed to lower energy costs that municipalities pay, as well as empower them to upgrade their energy usage and policies to save themselves money; savings that get passed on to local taxpayers. So far, several municipalities in Schuyler, Chemung, Steuben, as well as others in the Southern Tier, have achieved designation, earning them thousands of dollars not only in taxpayer savings, but also in grants accessible through NYSERDA.

Though not the only action item on the Clean Energy Communities, the Clean Fleets item represents a broader push to bring electric vehicle technology within the reach of everyday New Yorkers. It’s also the most exciting because, notably, the Village of Burdett, as well as several municipalities along I-86, are planning on or in the process of installing these chargers. However, this is not the only way this technology is becoming more accessible.

For instance, the Charge Ready NY program offers rebates of up to four thousand dollars for public or private employers who install a charging station in their parking lots. Taking as little as three months, this infrastructure upgrade can attract customers and provide a monetary boost. Also, the Drive Clean Rebate and the ZEV Rebate, administered by the state Department of Environmental Conservation, both provide rebates for purchasing electric vehicles to residents. Drive Clean offers rebates for purchasing or leasing private vehicles, and the ZEV rebate applies to purchased or leased vehicles that are used by municipalities.

In addition to all of this, we at CCE Schuyler are proud to highlight the upcoming 15th Annual Toyota Green Grand Prix, an electric car and vehicle technology demo showcasing the coming changes and advancements in our transportation technology. Free and open to the public, this event is put on in conjunction with Upstate NY Toyota Dealers and the Doris Bovee Memorial Foundation, and is gearing up for its 15th year at Watkins Glen International. Enjoying the generous support of WGI and the Sports Car Club of America, this event draws in auto tech students from colleges and high schools throughout the region, industry leaders, and car enthusiasts.

Pursuing their mission to increase awareness of energy efficient vehicles, and the massive strides and coming innovations in the field, the Green Grand Prix also represents a shift in the way we think about transport more broadly. There are a lot of exciting things happening in the world of alternative transportation technologies, and we at CCE are very much looking forward to what comes down the pike.

For more information about the Green Grand Prix, visit the website at http://www.greengrandprix.com or on Facebook at Green Grand Prix Corporation.

Photo in text: Chris Skawski (Photo provided)

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For the first column in this series, click here.
For the second column in this series, click here.
For the third column in this series, click here.
For the fourth column in this series, click here.
For the fifth column in this series, click here.
For the sixth column in this series, click here.
For the seventh column in this series, click here.

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