University Park, IL,
15
March
2023
|
09:25 AM
America/Chicago

Governors State installs EV Charging Stations

EV charging station pic 2

Six new charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) are now available on the Governors State University (GSU) campus near the main entrance. The installation readies the campus for the increasing demand for charging stations as EV sales climb in the near future.

After discussing multiple locations with the Facilities Advisory Committee and the Department of Public Safety, this location was chosen because of its proximity to the main entrance, its visibility and close access to our electrical infrastructure,” said John Potempa, co-chair of GSU’s Sustainability Committee and associate vice president of Facilities Development and Management.

According to car industry sources, 25 to 30 percent of new cars on the road could be electric by 2030 and 40 to 45 percent by 2035. The International Energy Agency (IEA) emphasizes that electric vehicles are the key technology to reduce carbon emissions from road transportation, which accounts for 16 percent of global emissions.

Passenger EVs are surging in popularity, but a key factor hindering their wider use is the lack of public charging stations. While EVs are most often charged at home, public charging needs to be readily available to support increasing sales, according to Car and Driver.

This campus installation of charging stations has been a goal of GSU's Sustainability Committee for quite some time and fits with the Committee’s mission to take advantage of “green” opportunities when possible, said Potempa. “The timing of GSU’s installation was based on funding availability,” he added. “We do see a steady incremental growth of EVs on campus.”

Campus charging stations are free for users and as funding permits, GSU will be adding more installations at other locations.