How Virginia is Investing in a Sustainable Future
The Commonwealth of Virginia is quickly becoming one of the most environmentally friendly states in the country. More than 400 years after its establishment as the first permanent British colony in the New World, Virginia’s population has swelled. Its demographics have changed over the past decade thanks to an influx of younger residents in the capital city of Richmond, the northern Washington, D.C. suburbs, and the sprawling metropolitan area of Hampton Roads.
With more residents come more vehicles on the road, and a commensurate rise in carbon emissions. But it is no coincidence that EV charging stations in Virginia are on the rise, too. With greater investment in infrastructure from the state government and private enterprise, EVs will power VA into a cleaner, more sustainable future.
Old Dominion, New Outlook
Virginia, aka “Old Dominion,” has a long history of coal mining and natural gas production, so it might seem like an unlikely candidate for an eco-friendly overhaul. But state legislators are taking substantial steps to create a more sustainable future for the state in the form of rebates, incentives and policies designed to encourage a statewide shift toward electric vehicle use.
Real change requires cooperation between government and the private sector, and the Virginia business community is doing their part as well. Virginia’s Dominion Energy, the largest utility in the state that provides power to more than 7 million business and residential customers, is leading the charge in innovating and promoting new and sustainable methods of energy.
The Dominion Energy Smart Charging Infrastructure Pilot program (SCIP), which creates financial incentives for companies and individuals looking to add to the number of EV charging stations in Virginia, is one of the first and most significant instances of positive collaboration between Virginia’s government and local businesses.
As an approved Dominion Energy vendor, EV Connect is supporting Dominion Energy’s efforts by streamlining the rebate qualification process, and by using our vast experience in the electric vehicle space to make the installation and management of EV charging stations in Virginia easy and reliable. Our advanced EV charging station software creates solutions for both business and residential customers looking to invest in EV infrastructure, a key step toward making EV driving attainable and practical for every Virginian.
Energy Education
Earlier this year, when Virginia legislators passed the Virginia Clean Economy Act, government officials made a concerted effort to reach out to state utilities, private companies, environmental organizations and native residents to gather as much information as possible for an effective and pragmatic sustainability solution. Powering Virginia into the role as one of the most environmentally friendly states in America requires communication as well as education — lawmakers, businesses and drivers will need to maintain open lines of dialogue. Educating residents on the advantages of EVs and the ways they can directly help advance Virginia will ensure that momentum never stops.
Virginia aims to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and it will take the efforts of everyone in the state to hit that goal. Over the next ten years, Dominion Energy will spearhead efforts like introducing 50 new fully electric school buses to VA’s public school system, creating an all-electric vehicle fleet; installing EV charging stations, and providing discounted energy to customers who charge their EVs at off-peak times.
EV Connect will be a key strategic partner for the next decade and beyond, helping to educate and inform Virginia businesses on the advantages of EVs, and powering the infrastructure that will shepherd this historic state into a brighter future.
To learn more about how your business can join in, visit evconnect.com/virginia.
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