Sonoma-Mendocino rebate program covers costs of electric vehicle chargers

Businesses, government agencies and apartment buildings in Sonoma and Mendocino counties may apply this week for rebates that will cover all or most of the cost of installing electric vehicle charging stations.

Nearly $7 million in state and local funding is available for a rebate program that aims to establish 550 new chargers in the two counties over the next three years — aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.

“We want to make them more prevalent,” said Nelson Lomeli, program manager at Sonoma Clean Power, which is partnering with a California Energy Commission program on the rebates.

The partnership “furthers Sonoma Clean Power’s mission of turning the tide on the climate crisis through bold ideas and practical programs,” he said.

Transportation is the No. 1 source of pollution in the Bay Area and boosting the number of charging stations — thereby encouraging people to buy electric vehicles — is intended to push California toward former Gov. Jerry Brown’s goal of 5 million electric vehicles on the road by 2030.

California leads the nation with more than 537,000 electric vehicles, but would have to increase their acquisition by more than ninefold to meet that target, according to a San Diego Union-Tribune report.

If the rebate program meets its goal, it would more than triple the number of publicly accessible charging stations in the two counties, which currently have about 190 stations.

The state is contributing $5.1 million to the program, while Sonoma Clean Power, the public electricity supplier, is contributing $1.5 million and the Northern Sonoma County Air Pollution Control District is putting up $150,000.

There are about 6,500 charging stations statewide, according to the latest report by the U.S. Department of Energy, including 148 in Sonoma County, 42 in Mendocino and 1,738 in Los Angeles County.

The state has about 21,600 charging outlets because most stations have multiple outlets.

Starting July 8, businesses, public agencies, nonprofits and multifamily housing complexes may apply for rebates to cover eligible equipment and installation costs.

Rebates will cover up to $7,500 or 100% of the cost, whichever is less, for level 2 chargers, which provide about 25 electric miles of driving per hour of charging.

For direct current fast chargers, which can completely charge a car in as little as 30 minutes, rebates will cover up to $80,000 or 75% of the total cost, whichever is less.

DC Fast Chargers must be available to the public around the clock every day of the year.

Businesses can potentially attract more customers by providing charging stations and may also use them for employee vehicles, according to a press release by the partners.

Fast chargers may be located at an airport, casino, public or private parking lot or parking garage, college or university, gas station, grocery store, hospital, hotel, library, public transit hub, restaurant, retail shopping center, sheriff or police station, a retail core or at curbside.

For information on the rebate program and instructions on applying for a rebate, go to https://calevip.org/incentive-project/sonoma-coast.

You can reach Staff Writer Guy Kovner at 707-521-5457 or guy.kovner@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @guykovner.