City of Salem Receives State Grant to Install New Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
The City of Salem has been awarded a Green Communities grant totaling $76,872 for several energy efficient projects, including the installation of six new electric vehicle charging stations, upgrades to more efficient appliances in several City buildings, and the replacement of two police vehicles with hybrid vehicles.
The grant will make possible the installation of six new ChargePoint electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS). Three stations at Salem High School’s Salerno Automotive Technical Center are currently operational and three additional stations at Forest River Park should be activated by the end of the month. Each CT4000 Level 2 Commercial Charging Station has two ports. All are free to use at this time; in the future, there will be a nominal charge of about $2/hour to cover operational costs and maintenance. Information on exact locations and availability can be found at https://na.chargepoint.com/charge_point or by using the ChargePoint phone application.
In addition to the Green Communities Grant, National Grid incentives also were used for the new stations, so that the upfront costs of site work, installation, and the stations themselves were completely covered. EVCS will also be installed at both Bentley Academy Innovation School and Bertram Field in early 2021 and additional potential sites are under review, to also be funded by National Grid incentives and other state grants.
These stations join the City’s already available EVCS locations at the Mayor Jean Levesque Community Life Center, inside the Museum Place Garage and the South Harbor Garage, the Sewall Street parking lot, and near the Hampton Inn on Dodge Street Court.
“We are pleased to join with Salem and take tangible action on green initiatives that deliver benefits to our customers and communities,” said David Moreira, Director Customer Sales & Solutions from National Grid. “Our EV incentives complement our commitment to promoting energy efficiency, renewables and being an innovative leader in energy management.”
The remainder of the Green Communities grant funding will fund additional green projects, including the replacement of old kitchen appliances to new energy efficient ones at the Salem Police Station, Witchcraft Heights Elementary School, and Horace Mann Laboratory School. The grant is also funding a portion of the replacement of two Police Department vehicles to hybrid vehicles.
“I’m pleased that the City has once again earned a grant through the Commonwealth’s Green Communities program and I’m grateful to the Baker Administration for making this important program available to cities and towns,” said Mayor Kim Driscoll. “These funds have been so important in advancing Salem’s energy and resilience efforts and the Green Communities designation itself is a symbol of how much our community values and prioritizes policies and projects that reduce our impact on climate change and protect our local environment.”
The Green Communities Division of the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) “provides grants, technical assistance, and local support... to help municipalities reduce energy use and costs by implementing clean energy projects in municipal buildings, facilities, and schools.” Additional information about the Green Community designation can be found at www.mass.gov/info-details/being-a-green-community.