City and state officials gathered in Worcester on Tuesday to celebrate the opening of a new electric vehicle charging station. Located at the Xtramart on Providence Street, the station features two charging points to provide convenience for local EV owners. The opening of this station is part of the city’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation and promote the use of renewable energy sources.
According to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), nearly 40% of greenhouse gas emissions in Massachusetts are attributed to transportation. This makes the promotion of electric vehicles and the development of charging infrastructure an important step towards reducing overall emissions. Global Partners, the energy company responsible for the charging station, believes in the transition to alternative energy sources.
Global Partners CEO Eric Slifka expressed the company’s commitment to renewable energy sources, stating, “As we transition our energy sources, Global plans on moving its business into those alternative energy sources, whether they’re electric or renewable liquid fuels.” He emphasized the company’s role in delivering convenience to EV drivers as they travel.
The DEP commissioner, Bonnie Heiple, also stressed the significance of electric vehicle charging stations in the state’s decarbonization plan. Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has set a goal of having one million electric vehicles on the road by 2023. To achieve this ambitious target, it is crucial to make charging infrastructure widely available and easily accessible to all EV owners.
Global Partners received incentives from the state’s electric vehicle incentive program and National Grid’s electric vehicle charging station make-ready program. These incentives helped support the development of the charging station and promote the adoption of electric vehicles. With the opening of this new charging station, Worcester is taking a significant step towards achieving a cleaner and more sustainable future.
Definitions:
– Greenhouse gas emissions: gases, such as carbon dioxide, that trap heat from the sun and contribute to climate change.
– Renewable energy sources: sources of energy that can be replenished naturally and do not deplete finite resources, such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power.
Sources:
– Department of Environmental Protection
– Global Partners CEO Eric Slifka