The Key to Becoming Carbon Negative

We hear a lot about the desire for carbon neutrality these days, and while that’s noble indeed, we at EVCS have set our sights on even loftier goals. Our mission is to become carbon negative, meaning not only have we reduced carbon emissions to negligible levels, but we have offset more carbon than we contribute to the environment through techniques like avoidance, sequestration and carbon capture.

So, how does one go about achieving such a monumental task?

The first step is committing to power-based 100% on renewables like solar, wind and geothermal. One of the biggest criticisms leveled at the EV industry is the notion that we’re simply trading one environmentally harmful source for another – the vehicle for the power plant. And while it’s true that worldwide carbon negativity won’t be fully realized until renewables become mainstream replacements for fossil fuels, individual companies like EVCS can facilitate the trend by committing to use only renewable energy to power its network.

While making the commitment certainly is critical, executing is a whole different story. The current lack of widespread grids powered by renewables means we have to purchase our electricity from renewable energy producers through credit offsets, even as the actual power may still be flowing (for now) from a traditional power grid. While this comes with added costs, it also means we’re investing in companies that share our mission of a healthier planet and are integral in “greening” a key part of the energy supply chain.

This setup has many advantages. It allows us to essentially utilize 100% renewable energy for every charger in our network regardless of where it’s installed and retain top-notch fast-charging capabilities without the need for expensive and complex renewable energy generation systems. Moreover, once a network operator like EVCS receives accreditation from its governing body for using 100% renewable energy to power operations, it’s able to issue its own carbon credits, which can in turn be sold to offset the increased costs of purchasing renewable energy.

Bolstering our argument for the use of renewables to achieve carbon negativity are studied by numerous groups and organizations that have documented the benefits. While the total number of carbon offsets issued is relatively small worldwide (about 250 million tons worth were issued in 2020), the market is growing significantly as renewable energy sources grow, with nearly three times as many offsets issued in 2020 as in 2015, according to opentaps.org. Moreover, analysts with German bank Berenberg believe that current trends are leading to a global carbon offset market of some $200 billion by 2050.

On average, offset prices stand at about $4 per metric ton, which some fear are too low to provide companies with sufficient financial incentive to reduce emissions. However, a joint study published last year by University College London and Trove Research concluded, according to GreenBiz, that “the current surplus of carbon offset credits could be quickly eroded, with demand expected to increase fivefold or even tenfold over the next decade as companies seek to deliver on their net zero emissions pledges. As such, prices could rise to $50 per metric ton by 2030.”

All of this is to say that the momentum for achieving carbon negativity through the use of renewables is accelerating, with EVCS already serving as a key leader and motivator of the movement in the EV space. More importantly, none of these changes have adversely affected the quality, service and cost savings we offer our customers. Quite the contrary. Our expansion into viable new frontiers like this has allowed us the opportunity to demonstrate how high-quality/low-cost service and responsible, sustainable mobility can coexist perfectly.

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Navigating California’s New EV Mandate

California’s going all in on electric. On August 25th, Governor Gavin Newsom made a very important announcement concerning the future of transportation in the Golden State: “We can solve this climate crisis if we focus on the big, bold steps necessary to cut pollution. California now has a groundbreaking, world-leading plan to achieve 100 percent zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035.” Big and bold, indeed. And while highly encouraging, it brings up a number of questions moving forward.

How EVCS is Repairing Reliability Concerns

One of the biggest concerns among EV drivers today is the reliability of public chargers. One recent survey from the Department of Bioengineering at UC Berkeley claims as many as 23% of public chargers in the Bay Area alone are, as Wired sums up, “nonfunctioning at any given time, stymied by broken screens, shoddy credit card or payment systems, network connection failures, or damaged plugs.” And that’s in a locale prioritizing the conversion to electric. Testimony from motorists seems to corroborate these findings. A CEC survey of 1,290 EV drivers found that fully 60% had experienced damaged or inoperable chargers, while almost half needed assistance from customer service. We find this wholly unacceptable and have taken measures to ensure that chargers in the EVCS network rise to the standard of operability our customers expect. Here are a few ways we’re doing that:

Installation of the Month (July 2022): Kenwood Inn & Spa

A key focus for us over the last several years has been the installation of additional chargers at holiday hot spots, tourist destinations, and other key points of interest. Not only will it help dispel long-range travel anxiety among many new EV drivers, but it will also lead to a significant reduction in carbon emissions otherwise generated by gas-guzzlers during peak vacation seasons. Moreover, our egalitarian approach to site selection means we’re just as likely to install a charger at a McDonald’s as we are at a Morton’s since we understand the value in catering to a broad clientele. However, higher net worth individuals continue to drive EV sales in the US (a June 2021 Fuels Institute study specifies middle-aged males with household incomes over $100,000), so catering to venues that offer a luxury experience will encourage even greater participation by this group while serving as a bellwether for lower-income drivers who are attracted to the idea of electric mobility as a symbol of status.

Mexico to Canada EV Road Trip: EVCS Interview

We sat down with EV owner and enthusiast Anthony Williams, a 60-year-old business owner from San Diego, who recently commemorated the 10-year anniversary of his first trans-American road trip in an EV by retracing the same route to see what had changed in the world of EV fast charging, for better or for worse. Below are some of his insights and feedback.

Installation of the Month (June 2022): KPC Anaheim Global Medical Center

“For us, healthcare is not only about caring for our patients, but also about investing in the people who live in our communities.” These are the words emblazoned across the home page of the KPC Anaheim Global Medical Center’s website. Facilities like these are attractive partners for us because, like us, their goal is the betterment of humanity. In fact, just replace “healthcare” with “electric mobility” and “patients” with “planet,” and you have the EVCS mission statement in a nutshell. Allying with kindred spirits creates a natural synergy for us through the sharing of core values like customer service and an improved quality of life. Imagine then our excitement when KPC decided to install four of our newest DC fast chargers on their Anaheim property, giving us the opportunity to continue expanding our network southward.