In April 2021, Matthew Schantin a campaign coordinator with Environment New Jersey sat down with Melissa Greenberg the Director of Sustainability at Rider University to discuss her efforts in installing EV charging stations on campus and the unique challenges and successes that she encountered along the way—
To start the conversation we asked Melissa about how the installation process began and what motivated the effort to even think about putting charging stations on campus. She responded that this was a personal endeavor as Sustainability Director that would help make the campus greener but also serve those on campus who had plug-in vehicles or at least plug-in hybrid vehicles. As a private university the charging program is also a little different than public municipality charging stations in an effort to incentivise faculty and students to get electric vehicles. Therefore Rider offers a free charge at work program so those who work or learn at the university can make an account with the sustainability office and charge for free at any one of the ten chargers on campus.
The next question we discussed was the location decision, which Melissa said factored in not only convenience for EV owners but also an eventual electrification of the campus facilities fleet. Thus the first batch of chargers were installed at the facilities building to provide an open lot for students but also allow for future electrification of facilities vehicles as they eventually make a transition. The second set of chargers were then placed behind an academic building for the convenient access of faculty and because the electrical trenching and wiring was least expensive there.
This naturally led into our next question around electricians and how Melissa jumped from the grant process to getting charging stations installed. On the electrician front she said Rider does have some in-house electricians but that with the grant money it was easier to outsource an electrician experienced in installing charging stations and getting the permits. This helped streamline the process because the electrician was able to get the permit relatively quick and then it just took a quick inspection from the city and a call with the charging station company to officially commission it and ensure it was operating properly.
As for the grants themselves Melissa talked about how they were relatively straightforward to obtain and once they received quotes for purchasing and installing the charging stations they simply attached them to the application and it didn’t take long to hear back. The only thing she wanted to stress with that process was the need to outlay money into a separate account and then they received reimbursement from the grant to pay that off.
To end off the conversation we wrapped up with Melissa’s thoughts on where she thinks Rider’s next steps are in the electrification and EV charging station process. Some of her response had been touched upon earlier in our conversation, but she said her hope would be that the university can transition most all of its facilities and public safety fleets to being electric vehicles. This process she mentioned is hindered slightly by both the funding and performance capabilities of new electric vehicles; however, she has already begun looking at new grants and available rebate programs to begin replacing fleet vehicles as they need to be.
