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HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD-2019-034 Acceptance of Grant for Electric Vehicle Infrastructure and Approval of Budget Amendment #1-B Acceptance of Grant for Electric Vehicle Infrastructure and Approval of Budget Amendment #1-B ORD-2019-034 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: September 3, 2019 Action Agenda Item No. 8-h SUBJECT: Acceptance of Grant for Electric Vehicle Infrastructure and Approval of Budget Amendment #1-B DEPARTMENT: Asset Management Services, Orange County Transportation Services, Financial and Administrative Services ATTACHMENT(S): Project Award Letter Statement of Work INFORMATION CONTACT: Brennan Bouma, 919-245-2626 Theo Letman, 919-245-2007 Paul Laughton, (919) 245-2152 PURPOSE: To: 1) Accept $147,247 in reimbursement from the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC) through its “Clean Fuel Advanced Technology (CFAT)” grant program to purchase a solar electric vehicle charging station, and update twelve (12) of the County’s original electric vehicle charging stations, and lease the County’s first plug-in electric passenger vehicle; 2) Approve Budget Amendment #1-B; and 3) Authorize the County Manager to sign the associated funding agreement and any other necessary documentation for the successful completion of this project pending final review by the County Attorney’s Office. BACKGROUND: On March 29, 2019, Orange County staff responded to a request for proposals from the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center (NC CETC) for Clean Fuel Advanced Technology (CFAT) 2019 Round 2 grant funding. This grant program is sponsored by the NC Department of Transportation and funded with federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality funds. The primary purpose of the grant is to reduce transportation related emissions in 24 eligible North Carolina counties, and Orange County has been funded through this grant twice previously. Grant funding will be used to defray the costs of upgrading a 2-year vehicle lease to enable Orange County to acquire its first plug-in electric passenger vehicle. This vehicle will be used within Orange County’s CarShare program, maximizing its availability to County staff across all departments. 1 CFAT grant funds will also allow the County to replace 12 failing, increasingly incompatible, and irreparable EATON electric vehicle charging stations with updated stations from the State Contract. This will reinforce Orange County’s promotion of electric vehicles by enabling newer electric vehicles to charge which are blocked by current firmware incompatibilities. It will also restore the reliability of Orange County’s public charging network. Finally, these grant funds will allow Orange County to purchase a standalone solar EV charging station which will allow Orange County Transportation Services to charge the three (3) plug-in hybrid minivans which will form the backbone of the new mobility-on-demand program. This improvement will fully-charge the batteries for those vehicles and enable them to travel a total of 100 miles per day on renewable solar energy without connecting to the grid. It will also be a critical demonstration project as the County implements its commitment to transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050. The grant project period of performance extends through January 2022. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Orange County will provide 20%, or $36,812 in cost share, for this 2019 CFAT grant project funding award of $147,247. The cost share is contributed toward an overall project total of $184,059. The required 20% matching funds for the grant are available in the Asset Management Services budget. The base costs for the 2-year vehicle lease will come from Orange County Transportation Services vehicle procurement funds. Budget Amendment #1-B provides for the receipt of these grant funds, and establishes the following Grant Project Ordinance: Electric Vehicle Charging Station Grant - 2019 ($147,247) - Project # 71321 Revenues for this project: Current FY 2019-20 FY 2019-20 Amendment FY 2019-20 Revised NCCETC Grant Funds $0 $147,247 $147,247 Total Project Funding $0 $147,247 $147,247 Appropriated for this project: Current FY 2019-20 FY 2019-20 Amendment FY 2019-20 Revised Electric Vehicle Charging Station Grant $0 $147,247 $147,247 Total Costs $0 $147,247 $147,247 2 Project Element Expense Description Qty Per Item Cost CFAT Grant Funds Orange Co. Cost Share Total Cost Electric Vehicle Lease Upgrade Difference in monthly lease costs required to upgrade from gasoline to electric ($10,537 for 24 months in base lease costs to be covered separately by Orange County Transportation Services). 24 $571 $10,967 $2,742 $13,709 EV Charging Station Replacement EVSE Replacement Swap-out from 1 Port Pedestal to 1 AppCtrl smart Port Pedestal 12 $5,746 $55,162 $13,790 $68,952 Electrical Infrastructure Parts and Pathways to EV Charging Station 12 $256 $2,458 $614 $3,072 Engineered Drawings as needed, Consulting, remote system monitoring and reporting, Energy Management/ Environment Systems program management 12 $896 $8,602 $2,150 $10,752 Tax (7.5%) 1 $6,208 $4,967 $1,242 $6,208 Shipping 1 $490 $392 $98 $490 Standalone Solar EV Charging Station EV ARCTM Base Unit 1 $ 57,500 $46,000 $11,500 $57,500 Transformer ARC Upgrade - required for shipping outside of California. allows the pre- assembled unit to be shipped on the back of a flatbed trailer 1 $ 1,900 $1,520 $380 $1,900 Envision Charge J-1772 EV charging plug 3 $ 1,789 $4,294 $1,073 $5,367 40kWh Battery Storage Upgrade 1 $ 10,022 $8,018 $2,004 $10,022 Bumper Stops (set of 3) 1 $ 365 $292 $73 $365 Warranty (included in base price) 1 $ - $0 $0 $0 Shipping and Handling (ExWorks San Diego, CA) 1 $ 5,722 $4,578 $1,144 $5,722 Project Total $147,247 $36,812 $184,059 % of project total 80% 20% SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Orange County Social Justice Goal is applicable to this item: • GOAL: ENSURE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY The creation and preservation of infrastructure, policies, programs and funding necessary for residents to provide shelter, food, clothing and medical care for themselves and their dependents. The expansion of the County’s electric vehicle fleet supports the growing electric vehicle industry in Orange County and North Carolina which supports jobs and investments in research and development, charging station manufacturing, and electrical contracting. Electric vehicles in Orange County are also able to refuel for less than half of the cost of gasoline, safeguarding taxpayer resources. 3 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: The following Orange County Environmental Responsibility Goal impacts are applicable to this item: • CLEAN OR AVOIDED TRANSPORTATION Implement programs that monitor and improve local and regional air quality by: 1) promoting public transportation options; 2) decreasing dependence on single-occupancy vehicles, and 3) otherwise minimizing the need for travel. • RESULTANT IMPACT ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND AIR QUALITY Assess and where possible mitigate adverse impacts created to the natural resources of the site and adjoining area. Minimize production of greenhouse gases. Operating an electric vehicle in North Carolina has some of the lowest air quality impacts per mile of any personal or fleet vehicle. Electric vehicles are also the only vehicles that get cleaner over time since they depend on an electric grid that is regulated to be cleaner and to contain more renewable sources each year. Furthermore, supporting the creation of innovative new transit services such as mobility-on-demand creates the additional impact of reducing the dependence on single-occupancy fossil fuel powered vehicles. Improving local transportation- related air quality helps to protect the health of vulnerable populations in Orange County whose health is disproportionately affected by ground-level ozone and other emissions. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board: 1) Accept $147,247 in reimbursement from the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC) through their “Clean Fuel Advanced Technology (CFAT)” grant program to purchase a solar electric vehicle charging station, and update twelve (12) of the County’s original electric vehicle charging stations, and lease the County’s first plug- in electric passenger vehicle; 2) Approve Budget Amendment #1-B; 3) Authorize the Manager to sign the associated grant funding agreement and any other necessary documentation for the successful completion of this project pending final review by the County Attorney’s Office; and 4) Direct staff to proceed with the project. 4 College of Egineering N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center Campus Box 7409 Raleigh, NC 27695-7401 919.515.2788 (P) resapienza@ncsu.edu www.nccleantech.ncsu.edu June 10, 2019 Brennan Bouma Orange County Asset Management Services P.O. Box 8181 Hillsboro NC 27278 Mr. Bouma: We are pleased to inform you that the Orange County Asset Management Services CFAT application for the purchase and deployment of one (1) battery solar canopy with integrated electric vehicle charging has been approved. The grant award is for $147,247.00; matching funding required by the Orange County Asset Management Services is $36,812.00. You will shortly receive a statement of work (SOW), based on your application and modifications that occurred during the application and review process, for review and approval. After approval, it will be submitted to the NCSU Contracts and Grants office to generate a formal contract. This is the time to be sure of project parameters and timing. This award is for reimbursement of a fixed amount. If the costs to complete the project exceed the approved amount, the additional costs will be borne by the Orange County Asset Management Services. However, if the project costs are less than the estimated budget, the amount reimburse ed may not be the full amount. The amount reimbursed will be subject to the 20% minimum cost share requirement. After the SOW is finalized, we encourage you to issue a press release and take advantage of every opportunity to educate others about your use of alternative fuel(s) and advanced transportation technologies. Along with recognizing the NC Clean Energy Technology Center, please acknowledge the NC Department of Environmental Quality. Thank you for the Orange County Asset Management Services’s interest in improving North Carolina’s air quality. We look forward to working with you on successful completion of the project. Sincerely, Richard Sapienza Clean Transportation Program Director NC Clean Energy Technology Center NC State University 5 2019 ROUND 2 Clean Fuel Advanced Technology (CFAT) Statement of Work Project Summary: Orange County is proposing to complete a three-part project including: 1.) Upgrading a vehicle lease to a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) which will be available for use by all Orange County staff through the CarShare program managed by Orange County Asset Management Services, and; 2.) Renewing much of Orange County’s public charging network by replacing 12 failing, increasingly incompatible, and irreparable EATON electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE, sometimes referred to as “charging stations”) with 11 updated single-plug EVSE and 1 dual-plug EVSE. This expansion will allow for the County’s first plug-in passenger vehicle to charge, and; 3.) Acquiring a standalone solar EVSE that will fully charge 3 PHEV minivans operated by Orange County Public Transportation to serve as ADA-accessible On-Demand Transit vehicles for urban and rural residents. Given that these vehicles will be stationed in a sunny parking lot that is far from an existing grid connection, and given that the County has committed to transitioning to 100% renewable energy-based operation by 2050, this charging station solution is ideal. Given his familiarity with the CFAT program, as well as his direct management of the County’s EVSE network and CarShare program, the Orange County Sustainability Coordinator, Brennan Bouma, will manage this project. Bouma will work with the Orange County Asset Management Services as well as Orange County Public Transportation to provide administrative support, tracking, and reporting on this project throughout the reporting period (see Bouma’s resume in Attachment 9). Plan for Deliverables Plan for Task #1 Acquisition / Installation of Equipment with Documentation of Work. The steps to prepare grant-funded equipment and sites for each element of the project are listed below. None of these elements require ground disturbance or concrete cutting:  Lease Vehicle PHEV Upgrade:A 2-year lease of one 2019 Chevy Volt will be procured from an approved vendor per Orange County’s Procurement Manual (see Attachment 8). The incremental cost determination detailed in the Budget (Attachment 2) is based on quotes received from Enterprise showing the difference in monthly costs between a 2019 Chevy Volt (106 mpge*) and a comparable 2019 Chevy Cruze (32 mpg*) over a two year lease. The Volt was selected due to its suitability for long-range or short-range travel as well as the fact that its Figure 1: Orange County CarShare parking sign. 6 2019 Clean Fuel Advanced Technology Proposal Application North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center (revised 1/23/19) 2 final assembly is in U.S. This leased vehicle will replace a 2001 Chevy Malibu (21 mpg*) which is currently part of the County’s CarShare shared vehicle program. The CarShare program is a telematics-enabled distributed vehicle reservation program similar to ZipCar that is open to all Orange County employees with a valid license. Given that most CarShare trips are well within the 53 mile all-electric limit of the 2019 Volt’s batteries, the Volt is expected to run on battery power 80% of the time. Once a contract is in place, Orange County will inspect and take delivery of the vehicle, add NC Smart Fleet labelling, and once it is cleared for use it will be delivered to its parking space. In advance of its delivery, the County will mark its reserved parking space with appropriate CarShare program signage (See Figure 3) by mounting to an existing parking deck wall. * MPG ratings listed here are from fueleconomy.gov  Irreparable EVSE Replacement: A final quote will be developed with a state contract vendor per Orange County’s Procurement Manual (see Attachment 8). Once a contract is in place, the vendor will remove irreparable EATON charging stations and pedestals, reconfigure mounting brackets, and install new pedestal-mounted EVSE. Once the new EVSE are commissioned, Orange County will add NC Smart Fleet labelling and they will be placed into service. On average during the last year the usage of the County’s 2 networked EVSE was 3,873 kWh. Multiplying this by the 12 EVSE to be replaced though this proposal gives an estimated 46,476 kWh of EV charging. Maintenance and upkeep of these EVSE should be minimal. Their operation will be monitored remotely by the Sustainability Coordinator and repairs will be completed as needed by Asset Management Services, with warranty repairs covered by Clipper Creek.  Standalone Solar EVSE: A due diligence search will be conducted to identify all vendors who can supply standalone solar charging for 3 electric vehicles without requiring ground disturbance or concrete cutting. Then a vendor will be selected either through a bid process or sole source contracting process per Orange County’s Procurement Manual (see Attachment 8). Once approved and a contract is in place, the vendor will deliver, assemble, and commission the solar canopy, battery pack and EVSE. This includes sending personnel to offload with a 15,000lb capacity forklift, un-stow the pre-assembled unit and make it operational. Orange County will then add NC Smart Fleet labelling and this standalone solar EVSE will be placed into service. Based on a solar site assessment conducted for this area by Envision Solar, a 4.3kW standalone solar EVSE such as the one specified in their quote (see Attachment 6) could supply up to 5,250 kWh per year. Based on the expected base usage of its 3 charging plugs by the three Orange County Public Transportation vehicles (100 miles per day) as well as the expected usage of the EVSE by visitors to those government facilities, it is reasonable to expect that all of these kWh will be used. Maintenance and upkeep of this equipment will be completed per manufacturer guidelines and as- needed by Asset Management Services, with warranty repairs covered by the manufacturer(s). For the EV ARC™ standalone solar EVSE specified in the quote from Envision Solar (see Attachment 6) the standard maintenance plan calls for Asset Management Services to: o Visually inspect structure, enclosure exterior, array, EV charger and charger outlet for damage (Monthly) o Rinse and clear debris off solar array and structure (as needed – rain will naturally clean the array) o Install recommended local firmware update (6 months or as directed) o Grease slew drives (1 – 2 years or as needed) used for solar tracking. 7 2019 Clean Fuel Advanced Technology Proposal Application North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center (revised 1/23/19) 3 Copies of paid invoices for all costs associated with project will be provided quarterly with quarterly reports and reimbursement requests. Quarterly reports will include a brief description of what was accomplished during acquisition and installation. A final cost share letter will be submitted with final invoice as required. Plan for Task #2: Usage tracking of project technology/fuel. The Orange County Sustainability Coordinator will utilize the quarterly tracking form provided by NCCETC to provide details of activities tied to the task of tracking of the EVSE usage and fuel use of the PHEV lease vehicle during the project. For the first 24 months of the project actual usage data will be reported and then usage estimates will be provided for the remaining 12 months. Specific metrics to be reported as a minimum:  Lease Vehicle PHEV Upgrade: Fuel usage and mileage data will be reported based on GoEnergies fuel card data used by all County fleet vehicles.  Irreparable EVSE Replacement: Total kWh dispensed and an estimate of electric miles will be reported. Number of charge sessions will be reported as well if this data is collected by the metering installed.  Standalone Solar EVSE: Total kWh dispensed and an estimate of electric miles will be reported. Number of charge sessions will be reported as well if this data is collected by the metering installed. Plan for Task #3: Public Awareness and Education. Provide detail of activities tied to the task of raising public awareness and educating others during the project. See complete application instructions in Section 5 of RFP. Orange County will document all public awareness and education activities on quarterly reports submitted to the NC Clean Energy Technology Center, including contact information of the communication and social media staff who were involved and copies of all press releases and promotional material used to showcase project. All press releases will acknowledge funding support through the "NC Clean Energy Technology Center at NC State University with federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality funding provided from the NC Department of Transportation." As part of Orange County’s public awareness and education work under this grant, signage and decals will be posted on applicable vehicles and equipment and documentation of participation in NC Smart Fleet initiative will be reported in quarterly reports. This 3-part project is structured to inherently increase public awareness and Orange County will further disseminate information about these projects in the following ways.  Lease Vehicle PHEV Upgrade: The Orange County CarShare program is a telematics-enabled distributed vehicle reservation program similar to ZipCar that is open to all Orange County employees with a valid license. The ability for 1,400 Orange County employees to have access to a plug-in electric vehicle over a two- 8 2019 Clean Fuel Advanced Technology Proposal Application North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center (revised 1/23/19) 4 year period will provide valuable exposure to help normalize electric vehicle technology. The ability of the plug-in hybrid to run on gasoline will increase new user comfort with the vehicle and increase overall utilization and user exposure. The availability of this vehicle will be advertised to County staff, the Orange County Commission for the Environment, Board of Orange County Commissioners and posted on the County’s CarShare webpage. It will also be co-promoted as a part of the innovative CarShare program which is helping to right-size Orange County’s fleet.  Irreparable EVSE Replacement: Replacing non-functioning, unreliable, and incompatible EATON EVSE with well-established, rugged, and up-to-date Clipper Creek EVSE will enable all Orange County EV drivers to use and rely on the Orange County EVSE network. The presence of more EVs actively charging will in itself serve as advertising to increase awareness of the viability and accessibility of electric vehicles. Notification of the upgrade to the EVSE will be posted on PlugShare and will be sent to the Alternative Fuels Data Center so they can update their interactive database and map. The upgraded stations will also be highlighted in the County newsletter which reaches more than 1,200 readers including traditional news media reporting staff. A press release will be created and sent out with the newsletter story in coordination with Orange County Public Relations staff.  Standalone Solar EVSE: This partnership between the Orange County Public Transportation and the Sustainability Program to launch a renewable energy-powered mobility-on-demand program will help to increase public awareness and acceptance of electric vehicle technology. As these three clearly- marked PHEV vans drive around Orange County picking up passengers, they will serve as mobile advertising for low-emissions transportation. Orange County Public Transportation also has a full time marketing person who is active on social media and hold regular public education events. Orange County will work with the OCPT marketing staff to amplify the inherent visibility of the proposed project through social media outreach and in-person events such as the County’s Earth Evening event. The Sustainability Program also regularly interacts with a segment of Orange County who is most interested in environmental conservation and air quality and they would welcome news of this investment in clean air. A press release will be created and sent out along with a County newsletter story in coordination with Orange County Public Relations staff. Plan for Task #4 Reporting. Progress reports will be submitted quarterly based on the schedule and templates provided by NCCETC and will cover all deliverables related to this three-part project. This documentation of achieved deliverables and cost-share will accompany all itemized paid invoice reimbursement requests. A final cost share letter providing a description of cost share funding sources and the stating total cost share contribution will be submitted on Orange County letterhead with the final invoice. A brief final report summarizing the accomplishments of Tasks 1-3 will be compiled and submitted no later than fifteen (15) days following the completion of the project and no later than January 15, 2022. 9