Livingston Energy Group expanding to Rotterdam Industrial Park

A Livingston Charge Port — PHOTOGRAPHER: File Photo

ROTTERDAM — Livingston Energy Group, a Schenectady-based company focused on developing and installing electric vehicle charging stations throughout the country, will be expanding into the Rotterdam Industrial Park, the latest move for the rapidly growing company that shows no signs of slowing down.

The company’s expansion into a 23,000-square-foot facility once occupied by General Electric Co. comes as the number of electric vehicles on the road continues to increase and prominent automakers, including Ford and General Motors, have announced plans to expand electric vehicle offerings or move away from combustible engines entirely in the coming years.

Jason Zarillo, Livingston Energy’s president and cofounder, said the company will build and store parts for its EV charging stations at the facility, noting the company originally sought to construct a new facility but changed course due to time constraints.

Zarillo said the company is also working on plans to add a third facility in the coming years in addition to the Rotterdam space and its headquarters located inside The Daily Gazette Co. building on Maxon Road Extension, where plans are in the works to add additional space in the near future.

Since the company’s founding in 2016, Livingston Energy has continued to grow at a rate of three times year-over-year, according to Zarillo, who noted the company currently employs around 100 people and is seeking to fill an additional 30 positions.

Last year, Livingston Energy was named the fastest growing company in the Capital Region and 377th fastest growing private company in the country by Inc. 5000, a business periodical.

Between 2018 and 2021, the company experienced a 1,584% increase in revenue.

Zarillo said the company currently has more than 7,000 charging stations in various stages of development throughout the country, including several nationwide contracts.

Livingston Energy’s growth comes amid the ongoing proliferation of electric vehicles and a growing push towards renewable energy to combat the growing threat of climate change.

Car manufacturers sold more than 807,000 fully electric vehicles in the U.S. alone last year, the equivalent of nearly 6% of all vehicles sold and a 3.2% increase from the previous year, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report.

The number is poised the increase as technology continues to develop and manufacturers continue to invest heavily in electric vehicles.

In 2021, General Motors — the manufacturer of Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac and GMC vehicles — announced plans to phase out it combustible engine by 2035, while Ford and Honda have announced plans to bolster its electric vehicle offerings in the coming years.

Governments have also made a push to move away from gas-powered engines in recent years.

In New York, state lawmakers in 2019 approved the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85% of 1990 levels by 2050.

To meet the goal, the state will have to find ways to reduce emissions from the transportation sector, which account for 47% of the state’s total carbon emissions, according to a report by the Citizens Budget Commission, which found that emissions from transportation are more than double those produced in the residential sector, including the heating of homes.

The state, in recent years, has been working to expand the number of electric vehicle charging stations along highways, and has committed $250 million to continue the effort through 2025.

In addition, the state has a $2,500 rebate program to help cover the cost of purchasing or leasing an electric vehicle, which compliments a similar $7,500 incentive the federal government has in place.

Contact reporter Chad Arnold at: [email protected] or by calling 518-395-3120.