Charged EVs | Does Florida’s proposed infrastructure law oppose EVs or promote competition?

ChargedHometown Florida is like an EV hotspot. With an estimated 58,000 electric vehicles in Sunshine, Florida has the third largest charging station in the United States after California and New York, according to DOE. yoke.

This progress is not the result of any particular professional EV policy of the state government. Unlike the two states mentioned above, Florida does not offer state-level incentives for EV buyers.of 2020And again 2021, The legislature has introduced a bill that imposes a special tax on EV owners (both were not passed).State legislators are currently under consideration Utility-sponsored bill Many say it will cripple the state’s booming rooftop solar industry.

So when I read that the Florida Housing Commission approved Housing Bill 737, which bans passing on the cost of installing public charging stations to customers, it sounded like another anti-EV bill. The bill “guarantees that you and I are homeowners and electric home customers, so you don’t have to pay for charging stations,” said David, a state councilor who sponsors the bill. Borrero (R-Miami) says.

Concerns about bolero utilities payers are rare for Florida lawmakers. In the past, Republican-controlled legislatures have allowed Florida utilities to pass on billions of dollars worth of money to their customers for a variety of unpopular projects, including: .. Natural gas exploration in other states, Nuclear power plant that has never been builtWhen “upgradeAnd later Decommissioning Of the Crystal River Nuclear Power Plant.

Florida, along with several other states, generally bans non-regulated utilities from selling electricity to retail customers. But in 2012, Congress created a tax exemption for EV charging. Since then, according to the Tampa Bay Times, state investor-owned utilities have been the major investors in the utility market.

In 2021, the Florida Public Services Commission approved a request to Florida Power & Light customers to fund a $ 175 million worth of charging infrastructure. Duke Energy received approval for $ 63 million and Tampa Electric received approval for $ 2 million.

Borrero argued that this was a subsidy for wealthier EV drivers at the expense of ICE drivers, and compared it to the discussions that Florida utilities have on net metering. Those who are not.Some industry analysts Think of the argument as fake (Rooftop solar currently produces about 0.5% of Florida’s electrical energy). In any case, it’s similar to the position that people without children don’t have to pay taxes to school. A literate workforce, cleaner air, and a more resilient power grid are social goods that benefit everyone.

So is the Bolero bill just another of a thousand reductions designed to delay the adoption of EVs? Well, it’s not that simple.The bill has the support of charging network operators Charge pointsAnd Racetrac, I considered the idea Provides EV charging. Some fear that huge utilities will soon dominate public charging, leaving no room for independent network operators and potentially limiting consumer choice.

In a related development, Florida Senator Jeff Brandes recently wrote an editorial for him. Asked for a utility to eliminate peak demand charges For EV charging stations.

By allowing utilities to pass on the cost of building charging stations to payers, “investor-owned utilities are more competitive than third parties such as gas stations and other electric pumping station manufacturers. The power is significantly reduced, “says Bolero. He insists. “The current framework has the effect of preventing other companies from participating in this area.”

This is a battle that is taking place elsewhere. 2015, California enacted a law This allowed utilities to play a central role in the deployment of infrastructure, but included measures designed to protect independent chargers. (ChargePoint endorsed the law, as well as some public utilities owned by investors).

The Florida billing bill may not be legal this year. The Florida State Assembly has a complete (and highly controversial) plate at this session, and Senator Keith Perry (R-Alachua), sponsor of the Florida Senate companion bill, said, “Time may run out. I admit.

However, as the charging industry expands, we find that this problem reoccurs. Hopefully, policy makers will find a solution that will allow utilities to use vast resources to quickly deploy their infrastructure, but not overwhelm independent operators.

sauce: Tampa Bay Times

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