| October 29, 2009 |
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There is a growing movement afoot to “electrify” transportation. Several major car manufacturers have announced plans to market plug-in electric vehicles, or PEVs, to consumers in 2010. President Obama has challenged the nation to put 1 million PEVs on the road by 2015. And Congress has proposed a number of pro-PEV initiatives.
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Tired of paying volatile gasoline prices at the pump, consumers are increasingly interested in vehicles that use alternative fuels. As a result, plug-in electric transportation is poised to become a reality sooner rather than later.
Plug-in vehicles can figure heavily in the “greening” of the transportation sector, which is New Jersey’s largest contributor of greenhouse gases. PEVs would reduce emissions, helping the state achieve its Energy Master Plan goal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions 20 percent by 2020. They also would reduce oil imports, strengthening our nation’s energy security.
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Putting PEVs on the road in any great quantities, however, will require more than merely rolling them off the assembly line. There are many issues that need to be resolved, such as the availability of public charging stations, impact on the electric distribution system and cost of ownership.
To address them, PSE&G and other member utilities of the Edison Electric Institute recently pledged to make electric transportation a success by ensuring that utilities and customers are plug-in ready. For its part, PSE&G is assessing the potential impact PEVs would have on customer demand for electricity, as well as on the future electric delivery infrastructure. In fact, the utility is testing two electric cars to experience the technology first hand, and is investigating how best to deploy public charging stations.
Education will be key. Consumers will look to manufacturers, utilities and others to help them decide if a PEV is right for them. PSE&G will educate consumers about the benefits of plug-in transportation, steps customers need to take to be plug-in ready and the benefits of off-peak charging. We also believe that ownership incentives and other PEV policies will be critical if customers are to embrace this transportation transformation. PSE&G will collaborate with federal, state and local stakeholders to develop these incentives and policies.
Americans are unlikely to give up their long-standing love affair with the automobile anytime soon. But with the right policies and incentives for PEVs in place, changes in how we fuel our cars can have a significant impact on our environment for years to come.
at Opinion@PSEG.com.
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