Charging Forward:
Revitalizing Brownfield Sites
into Electric Vehicle
Charging Stations
As more electric vehicles (EVs) enter roadways
every year, a broader charging infrastructure
network is needed to fuel these vehicles.
Cleaning up and transforming underused and
potentially contaminated properties into
EV charging stations is a strategic way to meet
this demand. This fact sheet details benefits and
considerations for redeveloping brownfields into
charging stations.
Benefits of Converting Brownfields to EV charging stations:
Environmental
Restores contaminated land to beneficial reuse.
Aligns with local and state goals by decreasing
greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and
dependency on fossil fuels.
Expands access for communities to EV
charging infrastructure.
Battery storage capabilities can increase
community resilience during power outages.
Groundwater treatment (if part of ongoing cleanup
actions) can proceed concurrently with station
operations with oversight agency approval.
% Economic
Redevelopment of key properties close to
multi-unit dwellings and freeways can be profitable.
Property cleanup costs can be less expensive
compared to other redevelopment options.
Public grant opportunities exist to offset property
cleanup and construction costs.
Cleaning up contaminated sites increases
the value of the neighboring properties.
EV charging customers patronize adjacent
retail as they wait for charging, supporting
local economies.
Types of Electric Vehicle Charging
Level 1 Charging I Level 2 Charging
2 to 5 miles of range
per 1 hour of charging
10 to 20 miles of range
per 1 hour of charging
Direct Current Fast
Charging (DCFC)
180 to 240 miles of range
per 1 hour of charging
United States
Environmental Protection
i Agency
Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization
EPA Publication Number: 560-F-21 -191
August 2021
vw/w.eDa.aov/brownfields
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Considerations when selecting a potential brownfields site
Favorable Physical Site Characteristics
Community surrounding the site supports
EV charging as site reuse.
Short distance to highways and off-ramps.
Located along major travel corridors for consumer
and fleet travel.
Accessible to the street.
Site size can support charging infrastructure,
including any Americans with Disabilities
Act requirements.
Availability of a wired or wireless internet
connection or cellular service, particularly if
customers will pay for use of the charging station.
Nearby retail amenities.
Nearby multi-unit housing or a high density
of potential customers.
Current zoning of the site supports EV charging.
Site is publicly owned.
If privately owned, owner interested in
EV charging as site reuse.
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Evaluating the Economic Feasibility
While there are several costs that must be considered when redeveloping brownfield sites, the revenue
generated from EV charging stations in addition to potential public incentives can offset the costs and
make a charging station an economically viable reuse option.
COSTS: Inputs/Assumptions
Environmental cleanup costs m ^
Station utilization1 ,
Load profile2
Hardware capital expenditure
Installation capital expenditure
Grid infrastructure capital expenditure3
Electricity cost
Battery storage capital expenditure
Battery storage operation and maintenance (O&M)
Charger maintenance
Charger networking fees4
Solar Photovoltaics (PV) capital expenditure
Solar PV O&M
Battery charge cost
1 Station Utilization: The time when chargers are in use divided by the total time period
2 Load profile: Variation in station power used over time
3 Grid Infrastructure: Type and size of upstream equipment along with existing loading levels
"Charger Networking fees: Depending on the network provider
EPA's Brownfields Program provides grants and technical assistance to communities, states, tribes and others to
assess, safely clean up and sustainably reuse contaminated properties. To learn about EPA's broader efforts to put
previously contaminated properties back into productive use, read about our Land Revitalization Program.
Owners of EV charging stations may generate revenue in the following ways:
1. Billing a fee by the minute or hour of usage.
2. Billing a per-session fee.
3. Charging a fee per kilowatt-hour ($/kWh).
4. Billing "overstay" fees for drivers who continue to park after the vehicle is finished charging.
Key cost considerations:
Hardware costs, including the charger and its pedestal, can vary widely based on the charger's power and
its capability to collect payments.
Charger installation costs typically include labor, materials (e.g., wiring), permits, and taxes.
The cost and complexity of establishing new electric service to the EV charging sites depends on the
capacity of existing grid infrastructure close to each site.
Level 1, Level 2, and DCFC installation costs need to be evaluated for each installation based on charging
time requirements for anticipated users (e.g. overnight for multi-family dwelling residents vs. expedited
charging for delivery vehicles throughout a work day), potential transformer upgrades, volume of users, etc.
REVENUE: Inputs/Assumptions
Electricity pricing
Local incentives
State incentives
US Department of Enerav's
I
Incentives
Federal incentives
Alternative Fuel Infrastructure
Tax Credit
Outputs:
Net Annual Cost and Revenues
United States
Environmental Protection
** Agency
Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization
EPA Publication Number: 560-F-21 -191
August 2021
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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Example: Economic Feasibility of a Proposed Light Duty DC Fast Charging Station* in California over a 10-year Timeframe
under Best, Moderate, and Worst Case Cost/Revenue Assumptions
Scenario
10 Year Cost and
Benefit - Best
10 Year Cost and
Benefit - Moderate
10 Year Cost and
Benefit - Worst
Scenario 1:
Total Cost
$6,258,460
$5,334,660
$3,276,619 I
Baseline (DCFC only)
Total Revenue
$10,400,093
$6,037,836
$1,620,941
Net Project Benefit
$4,141,632
$703,177
-$1,655,678
Scenario 2:
Total Cost
$6,261,292
$5,334,744
$3,274,413
Baseline + Solar PV
Total Revenue
$10,401,576
$6,038,908
$1,622,812
Net Project Benefit
$4,140,284
$704,164
-$1,651,601
Scenario 3:
Total Cost
$6,421,840
$5,476,997
$3,487,333
Baseline + Battery
Energy Storage +
Solar PV
Total Revenue
$10,401,576
$6,038,908
$1,622,812
Net Project Benefit
$3,979,736
$561,911
-$1,864,521
Scenario 4:
Total Cost
$5,741,558
$4,944,214
$3,220,990
Baseline + Time-
dependent pricing
Total Revenue
$10,633,599
$6,198,202
$1,641,994
Net Project Benefit
$4,892,041
$1,253,988
-$1,578,995
*The proposed DCFC station was a 0.25-acre site that would support 10 chargers in a high-traffic urban area
FINANCIAL PRO FORMA MODEL:
$1,500,000
$1,000,000
$500,00
; $(500,000)
$(1,000,000)
$(1,500,000)
$(2,000,000)
$(2,500,000)
4 5 6
Year
10
LCFS & FCI Credit
Revenue
Battery Charge Cost
Solar PV O&M
Solar PV CapEx
Battery Storage O&M
Battery Storage CapEx
Electricity
O&M
Grid Infrastructure
Installation
Environmental Costs
Hardware
Net Project Revenue
LCFS: Low Carbon
Fuel Standard
FCI: Fast Charging
Infrastructure
CapEx: Capital Expenditure
Example:
A pro forma model
of a proposed light
duty charging station
at a brownfield site
in California over a
10-year timeframe
determined that
the site would be
financially viable.
-ฃ>-
TIPS
The installation cost per charger decreases as the number of chargers increases.
Read Rocky Mountain Institute's report to learn about other opportunities for
decreasing infrastructure costs, and the Department of Energy's report to learn
more about infrastructure cost drivers.
Reach out to the local electric utility to identify electrical infrastructure considerations
and local Clean Cities coalitions for opportunities.
United States
Environmental Protection
** Agency
Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization
EPA Publication Number: 560-F-21 -191
August 2021
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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CO-LOCATING SOLAR AND BATTERY STORAGE
Incorporating Distributed Energy Resource (DER) technologies, such as solar and battery storage,
can reduce electricity costs by providing energy (kWh) and capacity (kW) for the EV station.
DER technologies can also provide back-up power for the surrounding community during a grid outage.
Pairing solar and battery energy storage is particularly compelling given that solar generation can offset the
cost of energy needed to charge vehicles during the day and on-site batteries can be used to charge vehicles
at a lower cost during peak periods when electricity from the grid costs more.
Battery Energy Storage: Battery storage devices
are flexible assets that can deliver significant financial
benefits under the right conditions (e.g., tariff rate
structures, customer site demand, etc.). Including
battery energy storage may allow EV charging stations
to be located where distribution line capacity is limited,
as the batteries can charge from the grid during
off-peak usage times, such as the middle of the night.
This means it may be possible to install an EV charging
station without upgrading utility distribution lines.
Use cases for this include:
1. Time-of-use bill management
2. Demand charge management
3. EV charging during a grid outage
Solar Photovoltaics: Pairing solar production
with battery storage can be used to further offset
the cost of EV charging and to create additional
value streams for the site owner. Additionally,
installing solar would reduce the carbon footprint
of charging. Site infrastructure like canopies
or rooftops can be utilized for rooftop solar to
maximize efficiency and increase comfort for
customers and employees.
Plan for blackouts. Coupling battery energy
storage with solar PV increases the resilience
of the site and provides a critical community
benefit during outages.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's
(NREL) PVWattsฎCalculator estimates the
energy production and costs of energy of
grid-connected PV energy systems.
4% United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization
EPA Publication Number: 560-F-21 -191
August 2021
vw/w.epa.aov/brownfields
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CASE STUDIES
CASE STUDIES
* East Bay Community Energy financial analysis TA: In
2021, EPA provided contractor technical assistance (TA)
to a not-for-profit public agency that determined the
environmental and economic feasibility of redeveloping
two brownfield sites in California into flagship fast
charging stations.
* Takoma Park. MP: This gas station was converted into
an EV charging station that opened in 2019.
EPA Brownfields
Technical
Assistance (TA)
EPA Brownfields
Assessment
Grants
EPA Brownfields
Cleanup
Grants
Identify possible
brownfield sites
based on the
considerations
from page 2
Analyze costs
and
benefits of
development
Conduct
environmental
assessments
Clean up site,
if needed
Plan and
construct
charging
station
RESOURCES
US EPA Brownfield Grant Funding: https://www.epa.gov/
brownfields/types-epa-brownfield-grant-funding
Plug In America, EV Supply Equipment Costs:
https://pluginamerica.org/get-equipped/
US DOE, Electric Vehicle Information:
https://www.enerqy.gov/science-innovation/vehicles
US DOE, Alternative Fuels Data Center, Federal and
State Laws and Incentives: https://afdc.enerqy.gov/laws/
US DOE, Alternative Fuels Data Center, Electric Vehicle
Charging Stations: https://afdc.enerqy.gov/fuels/
electricity stations.html
US DOE, Costs Associated With Non-Residential Electric
Vehicle Supply Equipment: https://afdc.energv.gov/
files/u/publication/evse cost report 2015.pdf
US NREL, Guide for Identifying and Converting High-
Potential Petroleum Brownfield Sites to Alternative Fuel
Stations: https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy11 osti/50898.pdf
US NREL, PV Wattsฎ Calculator:
https://pvwatts.nrel.gov/index.php
RMI, Reducing EV Charging Infrastructure Costs:
https://rmi.org/wp-content/upioads/2020/Q1/RMI-EV-
Charqinq-lnfrastructure-Costs.pdf
Learn more about brownfields redevelopment at https://www.epa.gov/brownfields
ฃ% United States
Environmental Protection
U m IkAgency
Office of Brownfields and Land Revitaiization
EPA Publication Number: 560-F-21 -191
August 2021
vww.epa.gov/brownfields
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