The College of New Jersey and Public Service Electric and Gas Corporation (PSE&G) have opened a five-station electric vehicle (EV) charging system at the college. This system is part of a pilot program from PSE&G to help spur the adoption of electric vehicles in the utility's electric service area.

"The College of New Jersey is proud to partner with PSE&G on this innovative project that further advances our longstanding and broad-based environmental sustainability goals," said College President R. Barbara Gitenstein.  "Through the generous support of PSE&G, we are now able to provide our faculty and staff with access to electric vehicle charging stations, reaffirming our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint in a fiscally responsible way."

The Ewing, N.J. college installed the system in one of its parking garages for faculty and staff to use. PSE&G provided the EV charging equipment for free while the college paid for installation. The college also plans to pay for ongoing maintenance and electricity costs.

"As the mileage range of electric vehicles continues to increase, we can expect that they will become more popular both across the country and in New Jersey," said Courtney McCormick, vice president-renewables and energy solutions, PSE&G.  "By partnering with organizations like The College of New Jersey, PSE&G is helping to provide the needed infrastructure to support EV owners now while also demonstrating to potential owners that EVs are a viable option in the future."

PSE&G has installed 60 EV charging stations at 11 consumer locations around New Jersey, including the college, through its pilot program. The program goal is to install 120 charging stations around the state.

In addition to providing access to EV charging stations, PSE&G hopes to collect real-world data about how these chargers are being used. Through this program, PSE&G plans to gain a better understanding of the impact that large-scale EV charging could have on the electric grid, identify areas of potential high-EV charger density, and plan for infrastructure upgrades and modifications that may be needed. 

The College of New Jersey maintains a number of sustainability initiatives through its Climate Action Plan. Other initiatives include an energy conservation program, construction of all LEED Silver-rated buildings, and five academic programs focused on environmentalism.