Nicholas Institute Experts Help Advance EV Deployment in South Carolina

Initiative is part of institute efforts to accelerate transportation electrification in the Southeast
Last month South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster signed an executive order to advance electric vehicle (EV) deployment in the state. The order creates an interagency working group charged with considering recommendations from the SC Electric Vehicle Stakeholder Initiative, a partnership between the South Carolina Energy Office and the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability at Duke University.
The Nicholas Institute collaborated with the SC Energy Office in 2020-2021 to facilitate a stakeholder engagement process exploring opportunities to advance electric vehicle deployment. The resulting report—published in September 2022—reflects the input and involvement of more than 350 individuals representing numerous private and public sector organizations.
The new working group created by Executive Order No. 2022-31 will consider the report’s findings, including 27 recommendations across five areas:
- education, outreach, and workforce development;
- equity and accessibility;
- EV infrastructure;
- incentives and financing; and
- public entities.
“Electrifying transportation is a critical step in our nation’s clean energy transition, and states see that electric vehicle deployment can offer substantial economic opportunity,” noted Brian Murray, interim director of the Nicholas Institute and a faculty member at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment and Sanford School of Public Policy. “States that want to go faster and further with the electric vehicle industry can strengthen their strategies by inviting public input and collaboration in key policy decisions.”
Policy engagement in action:
► Watch the final all-stakeholder workshop leading up to the report.
The Nicholas Institute is advancing Southeastern transportation electrification efforts in other ways as well.
For example, the Nicholas Institute co-facilitates the Southeast Electric Transportation Regional Initiative (SETRI), which convenes key players in the region’s transportation electrification ecosystem, including businesses, utilities, advocates, government officials, and researchers. The network aims to understand and advance regional EV market development, conduct education and outreach to consumers and decision makers, coordinate regional electrification efforts, collaborate on university research, and connect with transportation electrification efforts outside the Southeast.
Nicholas Institute experts are also working with the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) to provide facilitation and analytical support for the Southeast Regional Electric Vehicle Information Exchange (SE REVI), a partnership among state and territory energy offices. Through SE REVI, energy offices are sharing information and best practices and collaborating on EV infrastructure planning, policy development, and program implementation.
The Nicholas Institute’s efforts to advance transportation electrification are aligned with the Duke Climate Commitment, which unites the university’s education, research, operations and public service missions to address the climate crisis.
Contact: Trey Gowdy, trey.gowdy@duke.edu