NYCEDC Advances EV Charging Infrastructure and Next Cohort of Climate Tech Startups at BAT

Three Startups Selected to Participate in “Pilots at BAT” in Sunset Park to Test New Technologies and Unlock Solutions for Global Climate Challenges

A New RFP Will Seek Proposals to Develop Multiple Sites for Medium-and-Heavy-Duty Electric EV Charging Hubs on City-Owned Land

New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) today announced the advancement of two key commitments featured in New York City’s Green Economy Action Plan with a new request for proposal (RFP) that seeks to develop multiple sites across New York City for shared medium-and-heavy-duty (MHD) electric vehicle (EV) and fleet charging hubs, and the unveiling of the three climate technology companies selected to participate in the second cohort of the Pilots at BAT program.

In February, Mayor Adams unveiled New York City’s Green Economy Action Plan which lays out a series of commitments and strategies to grow the city’s green economy and train and position New Yorkers of all backgrounds to benefit from the nearly 400,000 projected green collar jobs in New York City by 2040. The multisite RFP advances a key commitment to activate EV charging infrastructures and enables low-carbon alternatives in the transportation sector. Additionally, the next cohort of startups at Pilots at BAT delivers on the Green Economy Action Plan’s commitment to increase opportunities to pilot and scale climate technologies.

“Our Green Economy Action Plan sets the stage for New York City to harness the transformative potential of building a cleaner, greener city — and the 400,000 ‘green-collar’ jobs our city will host by 2040,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “On this Earth Day, we’re taking major steps forward towards turning that plan, and those jobs, into reality. We’re using underutilized city sites to build EV charging infrastructure, and we’re supporting the next generation of climate technology through the next class of pilot programs at the Brooklyn Army Terminal.”

ELECTRIC EV CHARGING HUBS RFP

NYCEDC will activate five underutilized City-owned properties for shared MHD EV charging hubs, presenting an opportunity to accelerate the electrification of transportation infrastructure in New York City and foster a cleaner and more sustainable future.

The RFP seeks proposals to develop the following sites in Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island:

• Site 1: Arthur Kill Road – Staten Island, Block 7528, Lots 1, 9, 12, 17, 90, 93, and 96  
• Site 2: Veterans Avenue – Staten Island, Block 7494, Lots 8 and 90 
• Site 3: Front Street – Staten Island, Block 2820, Lot 105  
• Site 4: 130 Street – Queens, Block 4207, Lot 20 
• Site 5: FDR Drive Surface Parking Lots – Manhattan, Block 978, Lot 999.

The rate of EV adoption in New York City has been steadily increasing over the past five years. According to data from the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT), as of 2023, there were over 40,000 EVs registered in New York City. Sales of EVs now comprise seven percent of vehicle sales, as of the second quarter of 2023, but are still falling short of New York State goals requiring all new light-duty vehicle sales be EV by 2035. Last month, NYCEDC named the New York City-based developer Wildflower, to build the largest publicly accessible electric vehicle charging station in New York City located adjacent to the JFK airport.

The transition to EV has higher barriers to entry for medium- and heavy-duty freight adoption in New York City. As addressed in Delivering Green: A vision for a sustainable freight network serving New York City, released by NYCDOT and NYCEDC in 2021, freight transportation is an integral piece of New York City’s economy with nearly ninety percent of the City’s goods transported into and around the City by truck. Accelerating the adoption of electric trucks is vital to reducing harmful local emissions and achieving the City’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.

Respondents may propose a strategy that includes passenger vehicles, fleets, and for hire vehicles EV charging in initial years and includes a ramp up of charging infrastructure for MHD EVs as this market segment expands. While proposals that activate all of the sites are preferred, respondents may submit a proposal for all, multiple, one or portions of the sites. Respondents may partner with other entities.

Proposals are due by 11:59 PM Eastern on September 12, 2024. To learn more about the RFP, click here. For more information on connecting with potential partners that may be interested in responding to the upcoming Multisite RFP, click here to fill out a partner form.

NEXT COHORT OF PILOTS AT BAT

The climate innovation program allows companies to pilot new and emerging technologies at NYCEDC’s flagship asset, the Brooklyn Army Terminal (BAT), avital 60-acre industrial campus on the South Brooklyn waterfront in Sunset Park.

Participating pilots will have access to parking spaces and electrical, roadways, waterfront access, plumbing and water systems, building façade and windows, roof areas, and heating and boiler systems. These spaces and infrastructure will offer a live environment for companies to test their technologies, develop their products, show viability for customers and investors, and tap into New York City’s economy, the ninth largest in the world.

The next cohort of companies selected to participate in NYCEDC’s Pilots at BAT program include:

• Benchmark Labs is a startup that aims to demonstrate in-situ sensors to provide actionable and more accurate AI-based weather forecasts at Pier 4 at BAT. Benchmark Labs is a graduate of the Offshore Wind Innovation Hub, an initiative that accelerates the development of new technologies for the national and international offshore wind industry, to facilitate cost-efficiency gains.
• Matcha is a turnkey electric vehicle charging solution for multi-tenant property owners, especially apartments, using the Brooklyn Army Terminal pilot to enter the New York City market 
• ReVert Technologies is a startup that makes smart power adapters that uses AI and utility grid analytics to automate power delivery to plugged-in electronics, turning things off to save energy and reduce carbon emissions for people, businesses, and our planet.

Installation has already begun and will continue over the next few weeks. Piloting activities are expected to run for six months. NYCEDC accepts applications on a rolling basis for companies that are strategically aligned with NYCEDC’s industry development and real estate portfolio management objectives. Pilots are selected based on a number of criteria including industry need, impact, and feasibility. Pilots at BAT kicked off programming in September 2023 with the selection of three climate tech companies.

Critical to the Green Economy Action Plan is the creation of a new “Climate Innovation Hub” at BAT, which will help grow green technology startups and businesses – including supporting the Pilots at BAT program. Additionally, BAT in Sunset Park, has joined the Trust for Governors Island (TGI) and the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (BNYDC) to create the Harbor Climate Collaborative, a green economy ecosystem across three campuses that will provide 6-million-square-feet for climate education, research, commercialization, and training.

In February, Mayor Adams, the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT), and NYCEDC, in partnership with Newlab, activated the first of five public e-battery charging locations as part of the city’s new six-month pilot program to test safe, public charging of e-bikes by an initial group of 100 delivery workers. Including locations at BAT in Sunset Park and Essex Market in the Lower East Side, managed by NYCEDC.

Sunset Park in South Brooklyn is poised to be an emerging hub for climate innovation. The waterfront district has extensive industrial infrastructure, a diverse array of tenants and uses, and connection to major transportation networks. NYCEDC’s primary assets in Sunset Park include BAT, the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, and the Made in New York Campus (MiNY). Each of these assets provides unique opportunities for innovation, business development and support a just transition to decarbonize New York City’s economy.

About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization that works for a vibrant, inclusive, and globally competitive economy for all New Yorkers. We take a comprehensive approach, through four main strategies: strengthen confidence in NYC as a great place to do business; grow innovative sectors with a focus on equity; build neighborhoods as places to live, learn, work, and play; and deliver sustainable infrastructure for communities and the city’s future economy. To learn more about what we do, visit us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.