Office of General Services (OGS) Commissioner RoAnn Destito today announced that New York State has launched an employee Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) charging pilot program in targeted state-operated parking facilities throughout downtown Albany and the Harriman State Office Campus. The New York Power Authority (NYPA) and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) are partnering on the project.

Level 2 charging stations will be available to ZEV owners who are valid OGS parking permit holders in nine OGS State employee parking locations. A total of 30 stations will be installed for the pilot program, having 58 available charging ports.  

The first installation has been completed in the 625 Broadway garage and the remaining installations at eight more locations are expected to be complete early this summer.  In addition, OGS has completed the installation of fleet charging stations for the Department of Transportation at 50 Wolf Road in Albany and is exploring other similar installations at locations with large numbers of State agency fleet passenger vehicles.

OGS Commissioner RoAnn Destito said, “OGS is pleased to incorporate these charging stations into our parking options for employees, bringing New York State closer to meeting Governor Cuomo’s Charge NY goal and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

“As a national leader in the effort to reduce emissions, New York State understands the significance of workplace charging programs in promoting the adoption of electric vehicles,” said Gil C. Quiniones, NYPA’s president and CEO.  “When charging stations were installed at several NYPA facilities, we saw a significant increase in the number of employees purchasing and commuting in personal EVs. Our goal is to expand this program across the state and make EVs the easy choice.”

Alicia Barton, President and CEO, NYSERDA said, “This pilot is the latest demonstration of New York’s commitment to lead by example as we combat climate change and drive down harmful emissions in the transportation sector, one of the highest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions in the state. Innovative strategies such as this are expanding the state’s charging infrastructure, building consumer confidence they will be able to charge their electric vehicles where they live and work, and bringing New York closer to meeting Governor Cuomo’s nation-leading clean energy and climate goals at an unprecedented rate.”

Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos said, "The transportation sector is now the largest source of climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions in New York and our state is leading the nation in reducing our carbon footprint by aggressively investing in clean transportation vehicles and infrastructure. These investments are making it easier for state employees to switch to cleaner vehicles. Governor Cuomo’s announcement today is a critical piece of the state’s comprehensive efforts to support New Yorkers transitioning to clean, climate-friendly alternatives."

Acting State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid said, “I’m grateful to Governor Cuomo for making New York State more user-friendly for EVs drivers, including state employees. State Parks staff are dedicated to a healthy environment and eager to incorporate more sustainability practices into their own daily lives.”

During the employee pilot program, use of the charging stations will be limited to OGS parking permit holders who already park in the lots with the new charging stations. Permit holders in these locations will receive notification when newly installed ZEV charging stations become available for use.

The charging stations will be operated through a mobile app, and users will pay based on the amount of energy consumed during their charging session. Per kilowatt-hour (kWh) pricing will be used during the pilot, and the cost for level 2 charging during the first year of the OGS Pilot will be 15 cents per kWh.  Permit holders may charge their vehicle in any available ZEV parking space in their permitted lot.

Throughout the pilot program, OGS will gather data that will be used to determine the program’s effectiveness and help plan for future use of ZEV charging stations.

New York's holistic commitment to the expansion of clean transportation options is positioning the State as a national leader in EV deployment and the continued technological advancement of charging infrastructure. Initiatives and programs are already underway seeking to achieve Governor Cuomo's Charge NY goal of 10,000 EV charging stations by the end of 2021 and 800,000 zero emission vehicles by 2025.

In February, the Governor announced that New York is making up to $31.6 million available to ramp-up the expansion of publicly available electric vehicle fast charging stations to serve the future electric vehicle market and accommodate the needs and demands of the growing consumer marketplace.

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