JACKSON, Wyo. — Ten thousand dollars in funding from the Teton Conservation District will finance an initiative by Yellowstone-Teton Clean Cities (YTCC) to install more electric vehicle chargers in specific locations across Teton County.
Next Monday, YTCC will launch its “Level 2 Charging Program” which aims to target workplace charging and charging at multi-unit dwellings (MUDs).
Level 2 equipment offers charging through 240 volt (in residential applications) or 208 volt/3 phase (in commercial applications) electrical service, and is common for home, workplace, and public charging. Level 2 chargers can fully charge a battery electric vehicle from empty in four to ten hours and a plug-in electric vehicle from empty in one to two hours.
Currently, there are 22 Level 2 and DC fast charging station locations with 49 ports available to the public. Only a handful are considered “workplace charging” where an employee can charge during their working hours. In addition, there are no level 2 charging stations currently available at MUDs. Those living in MUDs may not have a dedicated garage or even parking space and if they rent, the ability to charge an electric vehicle at home is even more complex and potentially cost-prohibitive to install.
This program will open Feb. 6, and any business, organization or MUD with an area for parking and charging units within the limits of Teton County, WY can apply to fund a level 2 charger at either their place of work or their home if it is a MUD.
There will be two options to receive support through this program. You can either apply for funding that can then be used to purchase a charger and also for the related installation costs of the infrastructure and any wiring. The amount of funding for this option would be $1,000 per applicant. Or you can apply to receive two level 2 charging units that YTCC has already purchased if you want to install the charger yourself. The application will be open for one month, with applications due March 6 and applicants will be notified as their applications are approved and processed.
In January, the Jackson Town Council approved the electric vehicle charging station (EVSE) Land Development Regulation (LDR) amendment, establishing ordinance 1339, which became effective the following day, Jan. 18.
The EVSE LDR amendment, proposed by YTCC, provides the guidance to require charging infrastructure and electric vehicle charging station “ready” spaces to support electric vehicle charging stations at newly constructed workplaces, MUDs and residential locations.
The intent is to install charging infrastructure at the time of construction when it is least expensive to do so and to allow future MUD homeowners or renters access to charging at home.
