ComEd proposes $100M plan to support EV and Electrification adoption in northern Illinois

ComEd has proposed a plan to support the adoption of beneficial electrification (BE) technologies, like EVs, in Illinois.

 The firm will commit $100 million per year over the next three years to promote BE. The plan has been submitted to the Illinois Commerce Commission.

The plan is expected to lower carbon emissions and provide health and human welfare benefits, like an improvement in air quality, and help promote the transition to clean transportation, the Chicago-based distribution utility said. It will prioritize low-income customers and those residing in environmental justice and Restore, Reinvest, Renew (R3) communities.

The components of the plan include:

·        $15 million in incentives to reduce costs related to the purchase of EVs and installation of home charging stations and non-transportation electrification equipment

·         $63 million annually for fleet electrification rebates

·         A dedicated EV charging delivery customer class for commercial and industrial customers

·         $9 million community education program on transition to electrification

·         $5 million annually for pilots to study the benefits of electrification

 The EV adoption impact is expected to help eliminate 900,000 metric tons of carbon emissions and an estimated 4,000 metric tons of local pollutants from vehicle tailpipe.

"While Illinois has dramatically cut air pollution from fossil fuel power plants, vehicles are now the number one cause of carbon pollution in Illinois" explained Brian Urbaszewski, Director of Environmental Health Programs at Respiratory Health Association. "With a focus on getting more zero-emission electric vehicles in communities, ComEd's Beneficial Electrification plan is a serious roadmap for improving air quality precisely where the combination of high lung disease rates and unhealthy air pollution levels present the greatest threat to area residents."

Recently, ComEd has installed a Multi-Unit Dwelling (MUD) EV charging station at 43rd Street and Calumet Avenue in Chicago's Bronzeville neighbourhood. It is the first of the five planned MUD charging stations for residential properties with three or more units.

The new BE plan and the state and federal programs will increase the deployment of EV infrastructure across northern Illinois.

"For too long, the health of our communities has been negatively impacted by harmful air pollution, but CEJA is giving us an opportunity to reverse that trend and accelerate the transition to EVs," said Billy Davis, General Manager of Jitney EV and a member of the Bronzeville Community of the Future Advisory Council. "The Beneficial Electrification plan ComEd is proposing will give a much-needed boost to our efforts in Bronzeville and across the region to electrify transportation, eliminate charging deserts, improve air quality, and create economic opportunities for new businesses."

In May, ComEd announced it will invest $225,000 in a program which will help remove the barriers to EV adoption. This EV Readiness Program will support communities as they develop and implement programs to promote EVs and seek state and federal funds for EV charging infrastructure development.

The utility also is the spearheading entity bringing together the Bronzeville Community Microgrid cluster. ComEd started work on the Bronzeville Community Microgrid several years ago and expects to complete installation of the distributed energy resources sometime in 2022.

The footprint of the microgrid includes more than 1,000 residences, businesses and public institutions, including 11 customers that provide critical public service including the headquarters of the Chicago Police and Fire Departments.

The first phase brings close to 2.5 MW of energy capacity, including 484 kW of solar energy panels on the Dearborn Homes public housing complex. The system also connects to the existing microgrid at the campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Enchanted Rock was contracted to provide 5.5 MW in dispatchable natural gas-fired generation to support the microgrid as needed.

In addition, the Bronzeville Community Microgrid has provided ComEd an opportunity to demonstrate a number of advanced grid technologies. The $4 million grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office.