Bridging the Gap: Rural EV Charging Programs
May 14th 10AM to 11AM PST
Powering Up Rural Communities with EV Charging Infrastructure
Rural EV charging needs differ significantly from those in urban areas. Long distances and a lack of adequate charging infrastructure can hinder EV ownership. Additionally, lower population densities offer fewer financial incentives for businesses to install charging. Collaboration between public and private entities, local governments, utility companies and businesses are needed to address these barriers.
In this webinar our speakers highlight strategies and programs to address rural EV charging challenges.
Moderator:
Tomas Endicott, Senior Program Manager, Bonneville Environmental Foundation
Tomas is a Senior Program Manager on the Renewables Team at the Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF). His work at BEF involves community solar, transportation electrification and green hydrogen. Tomas joined BEF after twenty years of work in the private sector focused in the areas of renewable energy, agriculture and engineering. Tomas’s expertise includes policy development, business development, financial modeling and analysis, program management, project development and project management.
Speakers:
David Skakel, Senior Specialist, Forth
David serves as a Senior Specialist for the Agricultural Electrification Program in the emerging modes team. He brings experience from non-profit start-ups, hazardous waste and recycling management, farmers markets, used building materials, deconstruction services and community-based sustainable living practices.
Stephanie Crawford, Regulatory Affairs Director, NRECA
Stephanie Crawford is a Regulatory Affairs Director at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). In this role, Stephanie advocates on behalf of electric cooperatives on issues regarding electric vehicles and other types of distributed energy resources (DER) as well as supply chain issues. Before joining NRECA, she was an ORISE fellow in the Department of Energy’s Office of European and Eurasian Affairs and advised international clients on U.S. energy policy and regulation at a consulting firm in Washington, DC.
Bob Coates, Chief - Financial Analysis Branch, USDA Rural Utilities Service
Bob Coates is with the USDA, serving as the Electric Program’s Chief of the Financial Analysis Branch for the Grid Security Division. Bob is an electrical engineer and a Project Management Professional.
Shelbi Small, Tribal Nations Technical Assistance Lead, Joint Office of Energy and Transportation
Shelbi Small is the Tribal Nations Technical Assistance Lead at the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. Shelbi joined the Joint Office in November of 2022 and has experience with the Bureau of Indian Affairs in assisting with natural resource and renewable energy projects on tribal lands as well as grants management and project oversight.