The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
The Township’s efforts to promote access to electric vehicle charging through workplace charging was recently rewarded with three Electric Vehicle Adoption Leadership certifications.
Franklin received from Forth, a transportation electrification non-profit, Gold Certifications for charging stations in the Municipal complex and the Franklin Township Youth Center, and a Silver Certificate for the Department of Public Works’ building, according to a press release about the awards.
Forth works in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy.
EVAL certification demonstrates that the Township went through a rigorous process of developing
sustainability programs and implemented sustainable commute options for its employees, particularly
workplace EV charging, according to the release.
EVAL is a certification program funded through the Department of Energy and administered by Forth, an
electrification transportation non-profit. EZ Ride is an implementation partner for the New Jersey region.
“Franklin Township is committed to clean energy, implementing sustainable actions, and improving the quality of life for our residents and visitors,” Tara Kenyon, the Township’s Sustainability Consultant, said in the release. “We try to reach this goal through a variety of small and large-scale projects, with the installation of EV chargers at our municipal facilities and parks being one of our main priorities.”
“Franklin Township understands that providing affordable and accessible clean transportation options is a cornerstone of a sustainable and healthy environment,” she said in the release.
The township began its activity with sustainability and electric vehicles in 2016, when it invited EV owners for National Drive Electric Week to complement the Franklin Day Festivals between 2016 and 2019.
In 2018, the Township acquired a fleet of five Chevy Bolt EVs and within six months added another five. At the same time, the Township installed 10 EV chargers at the Municipal Complex for the Township fleet, two charging stations for the public, and an additional two units for the EV fleet at the DPW.
The fleet of electric vehicles is used by code enforcement officers, inspectors, DPW workers, and the Special Projects Manager. In 2022, the Township added dual charging ports at Inman Park and at the Youth Center.
The Township has now resolved that there is enough capacity to open the fleet chargers to employees for a nominal fee, which encourages employees to adopt electric vehicles and adds points towards EVAL certification. Workplace charging is very important for those employees living in multi-unit dwellings where EV charging may not be available according to the release. Thus, workplace charging addresses access to energy and equity in EV ownership.
Workplace charging spreads over several hours, which does not stress the grid or the vehicle battery with big kilowatts according to the release. For all these reasons, workplace charging is considered by industry experts as the two most important types of charging after in-home. As we deploy more solar generation, we get truly closer to zero emissions, while also helping to stabilize the local grid according to the release.
Sustainable Jersey awarded Franklin Township Silver level Certification in 2016. Completing more
sustainable actions, the Township was recertified at this level in 2019 and 2022.
When achieving its sustainability goals, the Township invited several subject matter experts to its Green Team, including LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification associates and EV advocates. Some of them then joined the Environmental Commission to continue as sustainability and EV advisors.
