Harrison Lilley, Photographer

hjl5363@psu.edu

Penn State Behrend is currently in the process of considering whether we should add electric car charging stations to campus. If you currently own or share an electric car you drive to campus each morning, then you probably know that there are currently not any electric car charging stations on campus. The shortage of electric car charging stations is not unique to Behrend, but coincidentally is an issue across the nation. This issue has further been exacerbated by people continuing to purchase power-hungry fully-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids as a result of wanting to not pay for sky high gas prices and trying to help the environment. As more charging stations for electric vehicles are being installed, the power grid in the United States routinely experiences failures, is significantly outdated, and is very vulnerable to being attacked. “I think the electrical grid needs improvements but that need is not due to owning to electric vehicles; the need is greater than EVs. Our current electrical infrastructure is outdated and susceptible to attack. We need to be making the changes to a more “smart grid.” says Mason. “Fortunately the infrastructure bill recently passed by Congress and signed under the Biden Administration is starting to provide the funding needed to make that happen. This public funding combined with the private push of all automakers moving to be exclusively electric, will lead to significant changes in our electric infrastructure over time.” says Sherri Mason, Associate Research Professor and Director of Sustainability at Penn State Behrend.”

As the need for electric car charging stations has been growing worldwide, Penn State Behrend has started to take notice, and is currently planning and securing the funding to install three car charging stations with the ability to charge six vehicles at once on campus. These stations would be owned and operated by ChargePoint, and would be accessible by the public, costing $1 per hour to charge an electric car. Faculty have voiced some concerns about electric charging stations, such as increased traffic, securing the necessary funding and if they should be used by the public. “Right now the problem we are facing is funding. We have state funding to cover 75% of the chargers themselves. Beyond the remaining 25% of the cost of the chargers, we have installation costs. The Sustainability Institute at University Park has offered to cover half of those costs. We are currently looking at various avenues using campus funds to cover the remaining.” said Dr. Mason. As the prevalence of electric vehicles are expected to increase (according to data provided through surveys), there is an increasing desire for electric vehicle charging stations on campus.