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Committee weighs EV promotion, municipal EV pilot and solar-permitting reforms after police EV case study
Summary
The South Windsor Energy Committee discussed promoting EVs and charging, a Westport police EV case study reporting near-term operational savings, potential pilot programs for town vehicles and lawn equipment, and state solar legislation that includes permitting reform referencing SolarAPP Plus.
Committee members spent a large portion of the meeting discussing electric-vehicle promotion, municipal electrification opportunities and recent state solar policy.
Committee member (4) relayed a case study from Sergeant Charles Sampson of the Westport Police Department: the department purchased an early EV in 2019, upfitted it for service in 2020, and has since reported strong operational results. “Initially, they estimated that they would save $3,500 per year on the vehicle, and he said in the first year, they saved closer to $8,000 in terms of actual operation,” Committee member (4) said while summarizing the call. Members welcomed the savings claim but asked for documentation and cautioned that accounting treatment (for example, whether electrical costs are charged to vehicle usage or to general overhead) should be verified before extrapolating townwide savings.
The group discussed a voluntary pilot approach: invite departments to volunteer for one or two EVs or certified pre-owned EVs rather than requiring a fleet-wide change. Committee members noted an operational constraint reported in the Westport example: limited electrical capacity at police stations can limit charger deployment and require wiring upgrades. Members suggested exploring pilot options that minimize disruption and letting departments opt in.
Committee members also considered municipal charging infrastructure and private installations. Committee member (1) showed site plans for a Tesla/Target charging application and members discussed visibility, parking location and pedestrian access; they agreed to invite a town staffer, Tory, to the next meeting to review site opportunities and technical details.
On state policy, Committee member (2) summarized recently passed solar legislation headed to the governor that renews three PURA solar programs with an aggregate cap, creates an exception for rooftop systems paired with battery backup, and includes a permitting-reform provision referencing SolarAPP Plus (or a specified equivalent) for faster, standardized approvals. Committee members talked about approaching the building department about adopting SolarAPP Plus to speed approvals for residents and local installers.
Other items: members discussed promoting EV education at community events (an Earth Day recap and planning for a July event), trialing electric lawn equipment with grant opportunities discussed at the state level, and the Walker Wheelways trail update (Eversource sign-off for a phase and an estimated cost of about $2,000,000 per mile for a 12-mile trail). The committee asked members to research town vehicle inventory, leasing versus purchasing practices, and to gather case-study documentation for the Westport EV data for follow-up.
The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn.
