EIA: Vehicles used more electricity than rail systems in 2023

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

Light-duty vehicles in the United States used more electricity than rail systems for the first time in 2023 amid rising sales of electric vehicles (EVs), according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

A new EIA analysis released Monday (May 20) shows electricity consumption by EVs rose to 7,596 gigawatt-hours in 2023, almost five times the consumption in 2018. Annual electricity consumption by railways has remained flat at about 7,000 gigawatt-hours over the past two decades.

Railways has been the largest electricity end-user in the transportation sector since 2003. Over that period, municipal railway systems or electrified passenger rail have had limited expansion.

EIA: Vehicles used more electricity than rail systems in 2023

ArDOT awards nearly $15M for new EV charging stations

by Jeff Della Rosa (JDellaRosa@nwabj.com)

The Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT) will provide $14.91 million to build 19 electric vehicle charging stations along Arkansas highways and interstates.

The money comes from the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In February 2022, the U.S. Departments of Transportation and Energy released plans to use nearly $5 billion made available by the law to build a national electric vehicle charging network by 2030. Arkansas will receive up to $54.12 million over five years for its network.

The federal infrastructure law established the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program to help states build a network of 500,000 charging stations along alternative fuel corridors, primarily interstates. According to Arkansas’ charging infrastructure plan, it would need to build 15 charging stations to meet the minimum requirements for the NEVI program. It requires a public station every 50 miles along alternative fuel corridors. Arkansas has five existing charging stations that meet the NEVI program requirements and 34 stations that were identified as upgradable to meet the requirements.

ArDOT awards nearly $15M for new EV charging stations

EV Joint Governors Letter - electric vehicles

Arkansas lawmakers discuss solar power, electric vehicle charging stations

KUAR | By Daniel Breen

State officials are preparing for an influx of as much as $1.5 billion in federal funding to go toward new clean energy projects.

The Inflation Reduction Act signed into law by President Joe Biden in August dedicates the funding to Arkansas over the next eight years to help fund new solar energy projects.

In a meeting of the legislature’s Joint Committee on Energy Monday, Lauren Waldrip, executive director of the Arkansas Advanced Energy Association, said farmers in the state have begun to adopt solar technology to help deal with rising energy costs.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2022-10-11/arkansas-lawmakers-discuss-solar-power-electric-vehicle-charging-stations

Daniel Breen/KUAR News

Sen. Bob Ballinger (R-Berryville) and Rep. Rick Beck (R-Center Ridge), co-chairs of the Arkansas Legislature's Joint Committee on Energy, listen at a committee meeting at Audubon Arkansas in Little Rock on Monday.

Energy officials tout benefits of Inflation Reduction Act; UA solar project announced

by Jeff Della Rosa (JDellaRosa@nwabj.com)

A new federal law that’s expected to impact climate change will extend or establish tax incentives for solar arrays, electric vehicles and U.S. manufacturers of solar array components, Arkansas energy officials said.

On Friday (Aug. 26), the Arkansas Advanced Energy Association hosted a virtual event to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act will affect the energy industry. On Aug. 16, President Joe Biden signed the act into law after Congress approved it along party lines. The Arkansas Congressional Delegation voted against it.

Paul Osborne, partner for HCJ CPAs and Advisors, discussed the act’s $369 billion in climate and energy-related provisions that includes new or extended tax credits. He said a solar production tax credit that had expired in 2006 has been restored under the new law.

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/08/energy-officials-tout-benefits-of-inflation-reduction-act-ua-solar-project-announced/

Arkansas groups push for more electric vehicle awareness

KUAR | By Remington Miller

Several energy and environmental groups collaborated on Saturday at an event geared toward educating Arkansans about electric vehicles.

Audubon Delta hosted “Drive Electric for Earth Day” outside the Little Rock Zoo. Owners of electric vehicles stayed on-site to answer questions and display the features of their cars.

Glen Hooks, Audobon Delta Arkansas policy manager, said in an interview the event was needed to allow people to interact with the vehicles.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2022-04-23/arkansas-groups-push-for-more-electronic-vehicle-awareness

Remington Miller/KUAR News

Audubon Delta Arkansas Policy Manager Glen Hooks introduced Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. at the "Drive Electric for Earth Day" event before the dedication of electric vehicle charging stations in the parking lot of the Little Rock Zoo.

Report says electric vehicles could save Arkansas billions in health costs

KUAR | By David Monteith

A new report from the American Lung Association says transitioning completely to electric vehicles over the next 20 years could save Arkansans over $9 billion in medical costs by 2050.

Laura Turner with the group says there are many lung-related issues linked vehicle emissions.

“Factoring in all of the issues that we know are connected to pollution and figuring out, based on that, if we [could] reduce those health issues proportionately, such as asthma attacks,” Turner said.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2022-03-30/report-says-electric-vehicles-could-save-arkansas-billions-in-healthcare

Michael Hibblen/KUAR News

An electric vehicle charging station along Interstate 30 in Texarkana, Texas near the Arkansas border on June 20, 2021.