A Request for Qualifications for Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Suppliers has been made by the Alaska Energy Authority, citing the lack of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations as a barrier to market expansion in Alaska.
Alaska Energy Authority Executive Director Curtis Thayer stated that the AEA has taken a multi-faceted approach to address the lack of EV charging stations and the Request for Qualifications represents a step in the development of an EV charging network necessary for market adoption.
The Alaska Energy Authority is seeking to identify potential site hosts for direct current fast charging stations and vendors who can submit applications in connection with site hosts. Up to $100,000 per site reportedly will be available. A press release from the Authority states that an added incentive for early charging stations includes an additional $10,000 to each of the first 10 applicants whose sites are selected.
A Request for Application period will open March 12 with applications due May 5.
$1 million from the Volkswagen State Environmental Mitigation Trust is available to fund the development of an EV fast-charging corridor in 2021 from the Kenai Peninsula to Fairbanks through public-private partnerships. The remainder of the Trust will be used to fund community-based Level 2 chargers through a separate solicitation.
The AEA is consulting with several parties including the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, the Regulatory Commission of Alaska and electric utilities in hopes of enabling Alaska EV owners to have more access to charging infrastructure.
The responses to the Alaska Energy Authority’s Request for Qualifications must be submitted to the AEA no later than 4:00 p.m. on March 8, 2021.