How the Blink Network Makes Sustainability Reporting Quantifiable

During Earth Week, our focus shifts to promoting sustainability and actively reducing the impact of greenhouse gas emissions. One effective approach is advocating for the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in both personal and business contexts.

You’re likely aware that transitioning to EVs benefits the environment. Despite the resource extraction and manufacturing involved, EVs offer long-term environmental advantages over internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. If you’re curious about the extent of these benefits for your business, Blink is here to assist you.

Blink’s environmental reports

When you install Blink EV charging stations at your business, your chargers seamlessly connect to the Blink Network. Being part of the Blink Network offers numerous advantages, one of which is the ability to generate environmental reports showcasing how your chargers contribute to environmental preservation.

These reports offer comprehensive summaries, including the:  

• CO2 emissions you’ve prevented, 

• The barrels of oil saved,

• Gallons of fossil fuel conserved, and 

• The cost savings for drivers by using alternative fuels.

Blink environmental reports serve as valuable tools for presenting your corporate sustainability initiatives to investors and stakeholders, demonstrating your commitment to reducing indirect emissions, such as Scope 3 emissions related to third-party operations.

Moreover, these reports can be utilized to engage with customers and potential clients who increasingly prioritize sustainability in their purchasing decisions.

Other available reports and features

In addition to environmental reports, the Blink Host Portal serves as your central hub for accessing information from the Blink Network, offering valuable insights into your stations’ usage. These reports detail usage patterns, energy consumption, associated costs, and more, providing you with comprehensive data to optimize your charging infrastructure.

Create member groups

The Blink Host Portal also enables you to organize users into groups and apply different fee structures to each group. For instance, you can designate groups for employees, and the general public, each with tailored pricing plans. This flexibility allows you to incentivize charger usage while maximizing revenue generation.

By utilizing groups within your Blink Host Portal, you can effectively manage your charging ecosystem, offering incentives to various user segments while ensuring optimal financial returns. Additionally, being part of the Blink Network enhances visibility for your chargers, as they are showcased in the Blink Charging Mobile App and prominent EV charging locator services including PlugShare and Google Maps, informing drivers of their availability for use.

Set different fees for different times of the day

Blink provides you with the flexibility to set different pricing tiers throughout the day, ensuring consistent profitability from your chargers regardless of peak or off-peak usage.

In contrast, off-peak hours occur when the electrical grid experiences reduced demand, typically during evenings, overnight periods, weekends, and holidays. Utility providers often offer lower electricity rates during these off-peak times due to decreased demand.

By utilizing Blink EVSE, you can implement higher fees during peak hours and lower fees during off-peak periods. This strategic pricing approach ensures that even during times of elevated electricity costs, you can offset expenses by collecting higher fees, maintaining profitability throughout the day. Read more about peak power and EV demand response.

Multiple types of pricing

When it comes to pricing, the Blink Host Portal empowers you to customize the charging rates for your chargers according to your preferences and usage scenarios.

Energy pricing

Energy-based pricing charges users based on the kilowatt-hours (kWh) consumed during the charging process, making it suitable for DC fast charging or locations with shorter dwell times. Read more about kWh billing.

Time-based pricing

On the other hand, time-based pricing calculates fees based solely on the duration a vehicle remains plugged into the charger. This may also be referred to as a “Parking Fee” or “Duration Pricing.” This approach is ideal for Level 2 charging where vehicles require longer charging periods. Additionally, it encourages efficient charger utilization by continuing to collect fees even after the charging session concludes, motivating drivers to promptly vacate charging spots. *Note that businesses hosting paid public stations in California may not use time-based pricing per CTEP regulations.

Hybrid pricing

For a versatile approach, hybrid pricing merges both energy-based and time-based models. This hybrid model enables you to charge based on power consumption during active charging and seamlessly transition to time-based pricing once the charging session concludes, provided the vehicle remains connected to the charger.

With these flexible pricing options available through the Blink Host Portal, you can tailor your charging rates to suit the specific needs of your users and optimize revenue generation from your charging infrastructure.

Types of EVSE for your business

Most businesses typically opt for Level 2 (L2) chargers, while larger establishments such as airports, car dealerships, and universities may also find it beneficial to have at least one Direct Current Fast Charger (DCFC) onsite.

L2 chargers, exemplified by the Blink Series 7 or Series 8, offer a charging time averaging four to eight hours depending on amperage and vehicle, making them well-suited for locations where vehicles are parked for extended periods, such as workplaces or businesses with lengthy customer visits. These chargers accommodate all types of EVs, including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

On the other hand, DCFCs, such as the Blink 60kW – 360kW DC Fast Charging Stations, deliver rapid charging capability, charging a vehicle in under an hour by directly supplying current electricity to the EV’s battery, bypassing the onboard charger. They are particularly advantageous for large operations serving numerous vehicles and businesses with fleet vehicles requiring quick turnaround times. It’s important to note that DCFCs are exclusively compatible with BEVs.

Getting help with EVSE installation

In the United States, businesses can leverage numerous federal government EVSE incentives, along with various state, municipal, and utility incentives, which can be easily located using Blink’s Commercial Incentives Finder.

Blink assists in planning your electrification project to optimize cost savings while upholding the highest safety standards. Our extensive network of certified EVSE installers across the country and globally ensures seamless project execution. Moreover, if your preferred contractor is not within our network, we are open to collaborating with them as long as they are EVSE installation certified.

Conclusion

Businesses are actively seeking opportunities to enhance their sustainability efforts, and installing EVSE represents a straightforward and tangible approach to demonstrating commitment to sustainability goals. With Blink’s sustainability reports, you can accurately quantify the amount of CO2 emissions your chargers prevent from entering the environment. Contact Blink Charging today to connect with an expert and explore how you can plan your EVSE installation to strengthen your sustainability strategy.

Are you a Blink Host? Log into the Host Portal and click the Reports tab to view your location’s sustainability.