Electric vehicle charging stations not a priority for FGCU

By Yamile Escobar

Florida Gulf Coast University is known for its sustainability practices and has won national awards for environmental stewardship, but the school doesn’t offer plug-in charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs). 

Many colleges and universities offer charging stations, which makes them more competitive, according to “Workplace Charging: Charging up University Campuses,” a 2016 report from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Why doesn’t Florida Gulf Coast University have at least one EV charging station on its campus?  

Two years ago, the university had a charging station, donated by the local Chevrolet dealership for the former president, Wilson Bradshaw, Ph.D. When Bradshaw retired, it was removed, according to Jim Hehl, Director of FGCU’s Physical Plant. Hehl said that because President Martin does not have a hybrid, there was no need for the station.

But why was the station not moved so that students and faculty could use it?

The university does not have the infrastructure necessary for tracking usage, said Rhonda Holtzclaw, Director of Environmental Health and Safety. Because there wasn’t a way to limit the number of hours a car was allowed to park at a station, it could have created conflict between students for the use of the station, she said. So, while it worked for Bradshaw, it wouldn’t work for public use.

What would it take for FGCU to install a charging station?

Steve Magiera, the Vice President for Administrative Services and Finance at FGCU, said that there have been many conversations and much research over the last several years about putting charging stations on campus. He made clear that the demand for stations would need to be high to justify the cost.

Demand is difficult to estimate because Parking Services does not track the number of EVs on campus. But in 2016, students in Don Murray’s Colloquium class proposed the number of charging stations the university would need: at least one station by 2017, and 17 stations by 2025. Students in Murray’s class did the project to encourage the university to take action. 

The students’ recommendations were compiled in an “EV Charging Station Report” and included ideas for ways the university could install the stations, such as working with companies like ChargePoint, which provides deals. The students’ report identified other deals that colleges are eligible for to help with the costs of installation. 

Katie Leone was the university’s sustainability coordinator at the time. She said the students’ report was sent to the FGCU Environmental Health and Safety Department and to the Sustainability Committee (now called the Sustainability and Resiliency Council). She and Holtzclaw were the co-chairs.  

“The SRC made recommendations to the university administration a few times about the need to plan for EV charging stations,” Leone said, “but no action was ever taken.”

What are the costs to install networked EV charging stations? The University of Florida installed six stations in 2010, with the help of a grant fund and an administrative fund from the university, saidMike Williams, the Director of UF’s Sustainability Office.It now has 26 stations. UF has a much bigger campus, about 2,000 acres, and 52,367 students.

“It cost around $10,000 or less to install [each of] the 26 stations, including the charge and the wiring installment,” Williams said, explaining that this amount covered everything, including the central control for regulating the usage. 

According to Williams, more than 150 students, staff and faculty members use the stations every month. They are free and each driver can use one for a maximum of four hours. He said that one of the biggest challenges was deciding where to put or install the charging stations around campus. 

Magiera echoed this, saying that logistical challenges include where to install the stations. He also cited the issue that not every car uses the same kind of plug. At the University of Florida, each charging station has a universal plug that can be used by any type of chargeable car. Magiera also said the university will need to figure out whether to charge students and faculty for usage.

“I think there is no question that it’s in our future, but I just can’t tell you there is going to be by 2020 or anything like that,” Magiera said.