Environment - Climate Change

February 27, 2024 Published by Huronia Chapter - By Steve Hubbard

Charging Grants: Sources & Considerations for Condos

From the CCI Huronia Winter 2024 Condo Buzz Newsletter

Electric vehicles (EVs) are coming and fast! EVs are a common sight today, and the federal government's plan includes making 100% of new passenger vehicles sold in Canada electric by 2035, so we will see them more and more.

While gas stations are abundant, Electric Vehicle Charging Systems (EVCS) are in short supply, so the federal government has introduced the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP) to help fund the installation of EVCS across the country. The funding is available via various delivery organizations and can cover up to 50% of project costs to install EVCS in commercial, industrial and multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs), including condominiums.

At the moment, funding has been fully allocated. However, with new rounds of grant money due to come from ZEVIP at any time, now is the time for condos to get prepared and know what they want and need to apply for funding. Application processes vary depending on the delivery partner with funding available, so it’s very important to work with a turnkey solutions provider to help complete all paperwork for pre-approval.

It’s also important to note funding is on a per-charger installed basis. Therefore, installing infrastructure for EVCS without installing actual chargers does not qualify. Each Level 2 charger installed, for example, can garner $5,000 (again, capped at 50%) in grants to support the installation of that charger and the infrastructure required.

Below are a few tips and considerations for condo corporations to consider:

Condo corporations must be prepared with an action plan beyond simply installing 1 or 2 chargers. Consider how your residents will charge in 2035 when 100% of new passenger vehicles sold are electric.

1) Your building may not have enough power, and you don't want to have breakers trip and potentially having vital building equipment offline.

Solution: Have a professional firm with engineers & electricians conduct a building power study to understand your building and its requirements fully. The study should look at historical hourly data and peak hydro consumption to determine how much power is available for EVCS. A resident survey could gauge owner interest in owning EVs.

2) So you don't have enough power?

Solution: Look for contractors with experience in offering networked (grant-eligible) EVCS that use software and hardware for dynamic power load management. Connected EVCS can allow power to be shared and maximize the power available to chargers so that owners wake up in the morning with sufficient EV range.

3) How do we get reimbursed for charging (cost of hydro) and manage the chargers?

Solution: Good solutions for EVCS should include a software package that offers:

• Remote monitoring, control and customer support that deals directly with end-users;
• Energy metering & billing so users pay for their charge with an app or RFID card, and reconciliation & payment is done automatically for the board regularly;
• Scalability so that as more owners adopt EVCS, they can be added and appropriately commissioned;
• Flexible access control so that only eligible users can charge;
• Open source so that the board is not locked to a system they can't change down the road. Look for OCPP (Open Charge Point Protocol) compliant solutions; and
• Cell/wifi/ethernet connections allow the system to communicate with the cloud to do what it's meant to do.

4) How do we know it's safe? 

Solution: Ensure your contractor involves the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) throughout the process.

5) How do we choose the best contractor? 

Solution: Electrical contractors may know how to install, but that doesn't mean they know EV charging software solutions or payment and reconciliation options. The contractor should be able to provide you with multiple, safe, grant-eligible solutions to get you started with charging on-site.

6) How to compare quotes with so many solutions? 

Solution: You must consult each contractor invited to propose an EVCS for the condo. Take your time, conduct interviews, ask questions referring to the points above and don't focus on pricing until you understand the proposal in detail. With grants covering up to 50% of project costs, you don't want to leave money on the table. If the long-term strategy involves adding transformers, sub-panels, and traditional electrical equipment to expand the system, why not install it now at a considerable discount?

The main focus should be finding reasonable turnkey solutions that don't burden management or board members with additional work.

---

Steve Hubbard
Lightenco & Chargenco