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Committee advances pilot for resilient EV charging microgrids; NYSERDA funding questioned
Summary
The committee moved a pilot program to create resilient EV charging microgrids to third reading after senators asked whether NYSERDA funds or ratepayers would finance projects and whether microgrids would prioritize emergency vehicles.
The Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee advanced legislation creating a resilient electric vehicle charging system pilot that would site charging infrastructure alongside low- or zero-emission generation and form microgrids with an emergency-services priority.
Clerk read Bill 24768 into the record. Senator Walter asked whether the pilot would include batteries and who would provide funding. "It could include batteries," a staff member said, and added that NYSERDA would select the funding source. The staff member also described the pilot as creating microgrids "sited alongside a zero-emission or carbon-free power generation site" that could provide charging and serve as staging areas for emergency response during extended outages.
Senator Walter pressed the committee to explain why EV charging would be prioritized in microgrids instead of other loads; committee chair Kevin Parker said the measure supports a broader transition to electric transportation and ensures charging availability for emergency vehicles. Senator May underscored the dual-purpose nature of the projects, noting chargers could be used off-peak and EV batteries could serve as local energy storage during outages.
Committee members also asked whether the funding would fall to taxpayers or ratepayers; staff said NYSERDA would determine how to fund the pilot from its available resources. The committee moved the bill forward for further consideration.
