City of Saint Petersburg

At a Glance

Industry

Government/Public Administration

Project Types

Data Analysis, Zero Emission Vehicles, Freight and Logistics

Year

2024

Location

Saint Petersburg, FL

Summary

Ana Gruendel developed strategic electric vehicle charging infrastructure recommendations to boost St. Petersburg's electric vehicle adoption at the community level.

Goals

Ana partnered with the City of St. Petersburg to help expand electric vehicle (EV) adoption across the community through charging infrastructure. The goal of her project was to evaluate past city efforts, identify priority areas for new infrastructure, and recommend strategies for community engagement and effective charging models. Her work was vital in addressing the city's need for a comprehensive EV charging strategy to meet its greenhouse gas reduction goals.

Solutions

Ana approached the challenge using a four-part process: -Review past efforts: She analyzed the past St. Petersburg's EV initiatives, identifying fragmented efforts and a lack of coordinated planning as key obstacles. -Analyze existing infrastructure: Ana collected data on 260 EVSEs across 100 locations, identifying gaps in residential and workplace charging. -Identify priority areas: She developed a geospatial analysis model, using GIS and Python, scoring census block groups based on multiple indicators such as income, housing type, and existing chargers. This approach helped pinpoint optimal locations for new Level 2 and DCFC chargers, guiding infrastructure planning to fill the found gaps. -Assess fee structures: Gruendel benchmarked charging fees in St. Petersburg and other cities, providing a foundation for sustainable funding of city-owned chargers.

Potential Impact

Ana?s recommendation could significantly accelerate EV adoption in St. Petersburg, supporting the city's goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. The geospatial analysis identified optimal locations for new charging stations, potentially increasing the number of publicly accessible chargers significantly in priority areas. By implementing a sustainable fee structure for city-owned chargers, St. Petersburg could generate revenue to maintain and expand its EV infrastructure. Moreover, the proposed coordination strategy and local EV adoption plan could streamline efforts across departments, maximizing the impact of future initiatives.

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