A new initiative from Efficiency Maine will further expand the coverage of the state’s electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure by supporting installation of public EV chargers in rural communities. This is the first of a series of planned EV charging infrastructure incentives from Efficiency Maine using $8 million allocated by Governor Mills’ Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan.

Level 2 EV chargers add 20 to 40 miles of range per hour, and are suitable for hotels, restaurants, retail stores, and public parking lots where the vehicle can recharge for an hour or longer. Eligible projects under the funding opportunity being announced today by Efficiency Maine can receive 80 percent of installation costs, up to a maximum of $5,000 per Level 2 plug for networked chargers or a maximum of $2,000 for non-networked chargers.

Thanks to the generosity of The Nature Conservancy, projects at local government-owned properties and public libraries in rural areas will be eligible for a bonus incentive of $2,000 per networked plug, with the total combined incentives covering up to 90 percent of the total project cost.

To be eligible for funding, proposed projects must be in a publicly accessible location in a rural community as defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Projects in York and Cumberland counties, and the cities of Lewiston, Auburn and Bangor, are ineligible for this round, but future funding opportunities from Efficiency Maine are intended for areas not covered by this opportunity. To learn more about this funding opportunity, please visit the Efficiency Maine website. The deadline to apply is Nov. 15, 2022.

Projects must be pre-approved and if they meet the eligibility criteria will be offered an incentive payable upon completion of the project. This opportunity is offered on a first-come, first-served basis until the budget for this round of $695,000 is exhausted. Efficiency Maine expects this initial funding opportunity to help defray the cost of approximately 150 new plugs. Projects must be completed by May 31, 2023.

Ineligible locations include private homes, multi-unit dwellings, Airbnb properties, vacation properties (e.g. camps, cabins, and cottages), non-permanent structures, K-12 schools, new and used car dealerships, and sites that intend to use the chargers for fleet vehicles of the property owner or tenant. Some of these locations may qualify for other incentives offered through Efficiency Maine and interested individuals should visit efficiencymaine.com for more information.