DEERFIELD, Mass. & BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rivermoor Energy, an industry-leading provider of clean energy development solutions for commercial and government customers, in partnership with the Town of Deerfield and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), announces the completion of a new electric vehicle (EV) fast charging hub in downtown South Deerfield.
The opening of the charging hub will be celebrated with a ribbon-cutting event on Friday, November 15 at 11:00 AM ET. The project is funded by a $2.46 million federal Charging and Infrastructure (CFI) grant, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). It is the first CFI grant project to be completed in the Eastern United States and is also compliant with the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program. The electric vehicle charging hub, located at 59 North Main Street in South Deerfield, MA, is now open to the public and ready for the upcoming holiday shopping and travel season along Interstate 91. The charging stations are fully accessible to visit and use for local EV drivers, by either mobile phone or credit card.
“This is a large step forward for clean energy in Massachusetts and demonstrates the Commonwealth’s leadership in the energy transition,” said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA). “This project will also serve as a blueprint for others across the state and around the country, showing communities a way to implement innovative technologies and solutions that benefit the environment, the economy and most importantly, the people who live in and around these areas.”
The state-of-the-art, public access facility includes four new EV chargers – two dual-port Level 3 DC fast chargers and two dual-port Level 2 chargers for a total of eight charging ports. Electric vehicles will be able to fully charge in twenty minutes or less. The positive environmental impact goes beyond EVs. In recent years, Deerfield has experienced increased climate change-driven flooding from nearby rivers, including the Deerfield River, the Connecticut River and the Bloody Brook. The project incorporates environmental engineering designed to mitigate and adapt to the effects of flooding and climate, including the installation of permeable asphalt and rain gardens, planting of native trees, grasses, and shrubs and creating new greenspace in the center of Deerfield.
“This project is not only an impactful one for the environment and the advancement of clean energy, but it’s also a boost for the economic backbone of our Town,” said Christopher Dunne, Acting Town Administrator for the Town of Deerfield. “With the added accessibility, climate change mitigation and new pedestrian walkways leading to downtown businesses, Deerfield can continue to thrive and serve its local business owners and attract new customers to our business community. We thank the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration and the Massachusetts Departments of Transportation and Energy Resources (MassDOT and DOER) for their support and partnership in the planning and development of this project.”
As electric vehicles adoption grows across the country, the federal CFI program advances the development of convenient, reliable charging stations designed to make it easier for consumers to charge their cars quickly and easily. The Town of Deerfield was selected for the CFI grant as a regional business center with easy access for regional Western Massachusetts communities and travelers along Interstate 91.
“On the third anniversary of passing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, FHWA recognizes the extraordinary and generational investment we’re making in our nation’s infrastructure, including Deerfield’s ribbon cutting of a key pillar of the nation’s EV charging network,” said Acting Federal Highway Administrator, Kristin White. “This project embodies the goals of the BIL by deploying American-made clean transportation infrastructure that shows our historic investment in combatting climate change for future generations.”
“Multi-modal charging hubs in communities are key to giving more people the choice to ride and drive electric,” said Gabe Klein, Executive Director of the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. “The Town of Deerfield is showing leadership in building out convenient charging infrastructure that brings new transportation choices to rural and disadvantaged communities, while supporting local commerce."
The charging hub’s Level 3 chargers are the fastest in the industry and can charge electric vehicles in as quickly as 20 minutes. The Level 2 chargers at the same location allow for residents or visitors who will stay parked for a longer time to charge their vehicles as well. With transportation accounting for the largest portion of total greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, having Deerfield’s chargers accessible in a public place, near a major highway, is tremendously positive for travelers, employees and visitors to Deerfield’s businesses and restaurants.
“Rivermoor Energy is proud to lead the development of the first CFI grant project completed in the Eastern U.S.,” said John H. Tourtelotte, Founder and Managing Director of Rivermoor Energy. “This project delivers EV fast charging to the most rural county in Massachusetts. Deerfield’s charging hub, less than a mile from I-91, will attract visitors to downtown South Deerfield’s vibrant restaurants and businesses. Deerfield’s project also directly benefits the local and regional economy by advancing skilled trades, engineering services and good paying jobs right here in Western Massachusetts.”
"The Deerfield charging hub marks an important milestone in Massachusetts' journey toward a clean energy future. Through close collaboration with our partners and local stakeholders, Eversource has helped bring this groundbreaking project to life, providing critical infrastructure that supports EV adoption and strengthens the community’s commitment to sustainable energy," said Roger Kranenburg, Vice President, Energy Strategy and Policy at Eversource. "By upgrading utility infrastructure to support this state-of-the-art charging technology, we’re not only enabling fast, reliable EV charging but also demonstrating the kind of partnership essential to advancing the clean energy transition. This project embodies our commitment to that transition through the Electric System Modernization Plan and our role in building a cleaner, more resilient future for all."
To support the BIL’s employment, apprenticeship and economic development objectives, the Town selected local skilled contractors, engineers and designers, including Universal Electric of West Springfield, MA, Taylor Davis Landscape & Construction of Amherst, MA, Berkshire Design Group of Northampton, MA and Weston & Sampson engineering of Reading, MA. Massachusetts’ Eversource Energy upgraded on-site utility infrastructure to enable the industry’s fastest EV charging station technology to seamlessly operate with its electric distribution system.
The Deerfield project advances U.S. manufacturing and job creation by using American-made charging technology from Autel for ultra-fast EV charging, ChargePoint for Level 2 charging, and Eaton for infrastructure equipment, with supply chain logistics support from Rexel Energy Solutions.
The community is invited to the ribbon-cutting ceremony, which will be held on Friday, November 15, from 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (ET) at the new charging hub located in the Leary Parking Lot on 59 North Main Street, South Deerfield. Parking is available at 8 Conway Street (Deerfield Town Hall), a two-minute walk from the project site. Local and state officials, including representatives from U.S. Representative McGovern’s office, the federal Joint Office of Energy & Transportation, State Representative and House Members’ offices, MassDOT, MA DOER, and members of the local business and civic community will be in attendance.
About the Town of Deerfield, MA
Located in the Pioneer Valley, Deerfield (pop. 5,090) is 33 square miles stretching from the confluence of the Deerfield and Connecticut Rivers south to farmland and industry overlooked by scenic Mount Sugarloaf. The Town includes the villages of Old Deerfield, noted for its rich history and exceptional private educational institutions, and South Deerfield, a center of industry, agriculture and tourism destinations, breweries and restaurants. Deerfield is bisected by Interstate 91 and state routes 5, 10 and 116. To learn more about Deerfield, please visit: www.deerfieldma.us
About Rivermoor Energy
Rivermoor Energy is an industry-leading provider of clean energy development solutions for corporate, commercial, utility, government and non-profit institutional customers. Established in 2008, and based in Boston, Rivermoor delivers comprehensive energy strategy, planning, project development, and financing solutions to enable customers to meet their EV charging, solar energy, energy storage and energy resilience goals. From successfully implementing EV charging solutions in urban and rural areas, to complementing charging solutions with solar canopies and rooftops, Rivermoor is a trusted partner committed to meeting our customers’ clean energy needs. For more information, please visit: www.rivermoorenergy.com
About the Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation that supports State and local governments in the design, construction, and maintenance of the Nation’s highway system (Federal Aid Highway Program) and various federally and tribal owned lands (Federal Lands Highway Program). Through financial and technical assistance to State and local governments, the Federal Highway Administration is responsible for ensuring that America’s roads and highways continue to be among the safest and most technologically sound in the world. https://highways.dot.gov/
