EWING, N.J. -- Officials from The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) and Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) has marked the completion of a five-station electric vehicle (EV) charging system at the Ewing, N.J., college.  The TCNJ EV charging system is located in the Metzger Parking Garage and is part of a PSE&G pilot program designed to help spur the adoption of electric vehicles in the utility's electric service territory. 

"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 TCNJ 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," she added. 

As part of the pilot program, TCNJ is committed to immediately utilizing the five charging stations for faculty and staff who own and drive electric vehicles to the school.  In return, PSE&G provided the EV charging equipment free-of-charge and TCNJ paid for the installation of the units and will 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."

The PSE&G pilot program currently has 60 EV charging stations in service at 11 customer locations around the state, including TCNJ, with the ultimate goal of having 120 charging stations in the program.

In addition to providing a convenient charging option for EV drivers, the PSE&G pilot program also allows the utility to collect real-world data about how the chargers are used.  This will allow PSE&G to better understand 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. 

Through its Climate Action Plan, TCNJ maintains an aggressive portfolio of sustainability initiatives.  As a public institution, the college seeks to identify programs and targeted investments in this area that are fiscally responsible, balancing environmental sustainability with tuition costs, diversity initiatives and other priority social objectives.  Other sustainability initiatives underway at TCNJ include the "Knowledge is Power," an energy conservation program; establishment of a sustainable community garden; creation of a ride share mobile application; construction of all LEED Silver rated buildings; and five academic programs focused on environmentalism, including an environmental studies minor.  The EV charging station partnership with PSE&G is well-aligned with these goals, complementing current and planned initiatives to reduce waste, enhance efficiency and incorporate environmental awareness across all curricula as part of the college's interdisciplinary academic programming model.