April 17, 2012

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What

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) will unveil an electric vehicle (EV) charging station that was recently installed on the campus. The station is a dual unit that will charge two vehicles at a time. The EV charging station and its installation are the result of an Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Grant, a state grant provided through the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources with the purpose of bringing electric vehicle infrastructure to the region. National Grid was responsible for the installation of the station and will be responsible for its operation.

Who

WPI President Dennis Berkey will speak on the significance of the EV charging station, and Deborah Scott, chief information officer at WPI, will plug in her Chevrolet Volt electric car. Wagner BMW will display one its electric vehicles.

When

Wednesday, April 18, at 10 a.m.

Where

Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The EV charging station is located at the Goddard Hall entrance on West Street, off Salisbury Street in Worcester.

More Information

Massachusetts' Energy Climate Plan has set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020, and 80 percent by 2050. An estimated 30 percent of those reductions will come through transportation improvements, according to the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources. Introducing electric cars, hybrids, and alternative-fuel vehicles into the mass market will help reach that goal.



The WPI charging station is part of a grant awarded to the Institute for Energy & Sustainability (IES), a non-profit housed at Clark University in Worcester. The grant will fund the installation of 10 charging stations in Central Massachusetts. They are among more than 150 stations awarded to more than 20 municipalities across the state.