Chapter 4. Steps to Install Charging Infrastructure

This chapter provides an overview of the basic steps required for the design, construction, and operation of charging infrastructure projects.

What is the process for airports to install charging infrastructure?

Each charging infrastructure project will have unique criteria for development, design, construction, and operation of chargers based on the use case and the partnership approaches for station ownership. However, there is a common set of steps that will be applicable to any charging infrastructure project. These steps are presented below (Figure 27), and a more detailed description of federal, state, and local requirements for charging stations can be found in Chapter 5.

The timeline for construction and activation of a charging infrastructure project can vary widely. For small projects that do not require significant electrical upgrades, the entire design, permitting and construction phase may be completed in six months to a year. Large projects often take at least 18 months, and in many cases may take two years or more. Project developers experience delays due to supply chain issues for transformers, switchgear, panels, and other electrical equipment.

1. Assess Needs and Develop Project Scope

As a first step, the site host needs to understand the demand for EV charging at a potential charging infrastructure site. This will inform both the number and the power level of chargers. The site host must consider charger utilization and energy consumption. Questions to be considered include:

• Where on the property are the chargers expected to be located?
• Is supporting grid infrastructure (e.g., transformer) located nearby?
• What is the capacity of supporting grid infrastructure for additional load?
• Will this be a public or private charging site?
• How many vehicles are expected to use each charger daily?
• What time of day will EVSE be used?
• How quickly will vehicles need to recharge or how long will vehicles be parked?
• How many vehicles will this site serve in the future?
• What is the utility rate structure that the airport is subject to?

The site host should develop a scope for the preliminary project scale, budget and timeline and determine what funding mechanisms will be used to finance the project. The scope should include assessments of any federal, state, local, or utility grant or incentive programs that may be used to offset

project costs. The site host should also establish what type of ownership structure(s) could be utilized and whether network capabilities will be required, including payment collection.

2. Conduct Site Assessment

Airport managers should communicate with airport facilities personnel, an EVSE contractor/electrician, and/or an EVSP to conduct an audit of the electrical system to assess the property’s existing capacity. This audit will investigate:

• Location(s) of transformers and electrical panels on airport property and distance to the proposed location of the charging infrastructure.
• The output voltage of transformers and electrical panels (120/208V, 120/240V or 480V).
• Approximate current loads on transformers and electrical panels.
• Approximate excess capacity of each existing transformer and electrical panel.
• Approximate space in the area where an existing transformer or electric panel is located. Space may be needed for additional electrical equipment, such as a step-down transformer, subpanel, or switchgear.

The results of the assessment will enable the site host to determine whether the existing electrical system is sufficient to serve potential EV charging demand and understand the costs for upgrades or additions to electrical service that will be necessary to meet increased demand. Planning for EV charging must be coordinated with additional energy audits, load studies, or other projects at the airport to ensure that the available capacity has not already been committed or if additional capacity/infrastructure expansion is already planned for other projects. Energy studies may also reveal opportunities to reduce existing demand, which will increase available capacity for future EVSE installations.

3. Engage Utility

Utilities play an essential part in the rollout of charging infrastructure, and they are among the first partners to consider for electric charging station installations. Working with a local electric utility can be a time-intensive process. Communicating with the utility as early as possible in the EV project planning process is recommended to help inform site design and project timeline. In addition, many utilities offer grant and incentive programs or may identify additional funding sources that may be applicable to a specific charging infrastructure project (see: Utility Funding)

The electric utility will need to assess the existing infrastructure’s ability to meet the service needs for the proposed EV project. This may require the utility to upgrade infrastructure like transformers, substations, wires, and other equipment. Some of these replacements may involve long lead times that can cause significant delays in project timelines and increase overall project cost. The utility may also be able to provide insight regarding the optimal layout for site design for both TTM and BTM infrastructure, and required electrical capacity upgrades may influence the time and scale of the proposed project.

A small project with no infrastructure upgrades may only require utility notification, but many charging infrastructure projects will require significant analysis, site inspections, construction and collaboration between the site host and designers, construction contractors, EVSPs, and local government officials.

Most large hub airports have their own medium-voltage electric distribution system on airport property, acting similarly to a distribution utility. Many airports also already primary power generators, such as through a cogeneration plant, or may have deployed DERs such as solar photovoltaics. Airports have also begun to look closely at the deployment of microgrids—localized groups of interconnected loads and DERs that act as a single entity to enhance resiliency for airport operations. These characteristics will influence the complexity of utility engagement.

While each utility may have its own process, the common steps required for working with the electric utility for planning grid capacity to support airport charging infrastructure includes:

• Based upon the assessment in steps 1 and 2, apply or “load letter” defining the load capacity requested with the electric utility to begin the utility engagement process, determine if utility upgrades will be needed to support the airport’s project, and what the timeframe will be. The electric utility will design the TTM infrastructure (everything up to and including the meter) and can also provide advice on incentives and charger rebates.
• Ensure that the charging infrastructure project is coordinated with other electrification programs at the airport. The utility must understand increased demand from the charging infrastructure project in the context of overall airport load growth.
• Work with the electric utility to assess options for futureproofing your project. It is likely that the project you bring to the electric utility will be one of many over time. To efficiently respond to growing demand for charging infrastructure, it may be prudent to plan for larger future upgrade costs at the onset.
• After obtaining permits (Step 6) the electric utility will finalize the TTM design and prepare for infrastructure construction. For some utilities, the utility provider will build the TTM infrastructure after completion of BTM construction; in other cases, the utility may engage in TTM infrastructure upgrades in tandem with BTM construction by the airport. complete and the electric utility will issue qualifying rebates.

4. Determine Ownership Model and Select Partners

Airport operators will need to determine who will own, operate, and maintain EVSE; which will typically be the utility customer. The utility customer may be the site host (airport/property owner), an airport tenant, or a third-party EVSP. As discussed in Chapter 3, there are various models available depending on the specific priorities of the site host, including their ability to set fees and collect revenue, appetite for risk, and desire for involvement in EVSE operations and maintenance.

Selecting the appropriate partner will have a significant influence on both the cost to the site host and the level of effort necessary for implementation of the charging infrastructure project. EVSP and utility partners can provide insight into EV charging technology selection; support site assessment and design; coordinate with the utility; facilitate grant and incentive applications; and oversee construction, operation, and maintenance of the charging infrastructure as needed.

5. Develop Preliminary Site Design

There are several factors that must be considered when choosing a charger location. The site host should work with an experienced EVSE contractor or EVSP to develop a conceptual layout for the charging infrastructure project. Key items that will need to be assessed include:

• Airport property layout
• Number of parking spaces and chargers to be installed
• Selection of EVSE power rating (Level 1, Level 2, DCFC)
• Distance to electrical service source
• Footprint of additional electrical infrastructure (electrical panel, switchgear, transformer)
• Weather considerations
• Physical barriers to protect the charging stations (e.g., concrete bollards)
• Parking and charging accommodations for people with disabilities
• Lighting and security cameras
• Future expansion capacity for additional chargers
• Incorporation of energy storage, distributed generation, and/or microgrids
• Wi-Fi connectivity for networked chargers
• Equipment requirements to facilitate installation, such as cranes, trenching, and directional boring

Preliminary site design should be inclusive of all components of BTM infrastructure and should provide an understanding of all on-site energy needs. EVSE selection may require an electrical upgrade, including a new meter and electrical panels or switchgear. The size of this equipment will depend on its capacity and installation may require modifications to existing buildings or surface lots. It is recommended that site hosts plan for expansion of EV charging during site planning by oversizing infrastructure and laying additional conduit. This preparation will reduce the difficulty and the cost of adding chargers in the future.

6. Secure Permits

Each jurisdiction will have specific permits that must be secured from state or local agencies. Most EV charger projects are treated as a typical electrical permit and expedited approval may be possible. The airport site host should work with the selected EVSE contractor or other operating partner to obtain all necessary permits, including permissions from the local utility. Ensuring that charger installations are properly designed and installed by experienced contractors can reduce delays in the permitting and inspection process.

When an airport site host develops project permit and construction timelines, the timelines should include additional time for a possible permit revision and equipment delivery to maintain planning flexibility and minimize financial risk. Once a permit is approved, a final site visit with a building inspector prior to construction and commissioning.

7. Complete Site Construction and Commissioning

Once approvals have been obtained, the site host will work with its partner(s) to construct the charging infrastructure project. The partnership approach for construction of charging infrastructure will be dependent upon the ownership model. As identified in Chapter 3, a site host can work with different vendors for the design, build, operation, and maintenance phases of the project or with a turnkey provider that will be able to guide the site host through each step of the process. Many EVSPs will provide an all-inclusive solution to charging infrastructure planning, including utility coordination and project construction. This will include installation of EVSE charging equipment and construction of electrical infrastructure from the panel to the EVSE. In parallel, the utility will complete TTM infrastructure upgrades required for operation of the EVSE.

Upon completion of the construction phase, EV charging projects will require inspection in accordance with municipal, utility and airport/FAA regulations. Upon approval, the EV project will be activated and commissioned for use.

8. Charger Operations and Maintenance (O&M)

Charging stations require ongoing maintenance to ensure that chargers are operating correctly. This includes physical inspection of cords, connectors, and cord storage; regular cleaning; tracking of network conductivity and charger uptime; and power supply inspection to verify the charging station’s voltage, current, and power ratings. Charger repair can be costly if not under warranty, so it is important to determine who will be responsible for the costs and to specify expectations (e.g., response time) in maintenance contracts. Training of employees regarding the operations and maintenance of EVSE may be required for those site hosts who chose to act as owner-operator of EV charging projects.