CHICAGO HEIGHTS–(ENEWSPF)–August 28, 2014. This summer, Prairie State College (PSC) President Dr. Terri Winfree signed the Workplace Charging Challenge from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
The Workplace Charging Challenge is part of the “EV Everywhere Grand Challenge,” a “Clean Energy Grand Challenge” with the goal of enabling the United States to be the first in the world to produce plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) that are as affordable and convenient for the average American family as today’s gasoline-powered vehicles within the next 10 years. The DOE’s goal is to increase the number of American employers offering workplace charging by tenfold in the next five years.
Winfree signed the challenge during PSC’s stop of the Illinois Green Economy Network’s (IGEN) Electric Vehicle (EV) Road Trip – a 450-mile relay to increase awareness of electric vehicle (EV) technology. PSC is one of 16 colleges in Illinois that has electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) on campus, available for employee, student and community use. PSC currently has two level 2 charging stations with three outlets.
“At PSC, we are committed to improving and protecting the environment while promoting fiscal and social responsibility,” Winfree said. “The EV charging stations on campus are just one of the many ways we are educating students and the broader community about pressures on the global and local environment, increasing awareness of and educating for the green economy, and addressing social issues in our community to ensure a quality of life for future generations that is greater than the present.”
As part of the EV initiative on campus, eight spots were identified and converted to green parking in front of the main entrance. Hybrids, electric and low emission vehicles (those receiving more than 35 mpg city/highway combined) are eligible.
For more information on sustainability initiatives on campus, contact Allessandra Cairo, sustainability coordinator at [email protected]. For more information about the Workplace Charging Challenge and the EV Everywhere Grand Challenge, visit electricvehicles.energy.gov or email [email protected].
Source: prairiestate.edu
