Solar-powered charging stations are now available for drivers in Lompoc.
The new stations are located at Lompoc Valley Medical Center, 1515 East Ocean Ave.
The Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District says the two Electric Vehicle Autonomous Renewable Charge (EV ARC) stations are available for anyone to use for free 24/7 if they have a ChargePoint account.
The purchase was reportedly approved by the Lompoc City Council last year.
The APCD it provided a $100,000 infrastructure grant to the City through the APCD’s Clean Air Grant Program, which reportedly covered most of the cost
“The EV ARC systems are designed to generate and store clean electricity, then deliver that electricity to electric and hybrid vehicles at any given time of the day. Power can even be delivered through the system during inclement weather or power outages. Each EV ARC station features a 222 square-foot solar array, and is rated to withstand wind speeds of up to 120 miles per hour,” according to an APCD press release.
The agency says the City of Lompoc Electric Division is using the charging stations for research “that will identify strategies for the city to use distributed energy resources like battery storage and solar photovoltaics to provide new services like EV charging in an affordable and reliable manner.”
“This is one more step in deploying modern technology to support the State of California in its ambitious climate agenda, while simultaneously supporting the Lompoc community as it transitions to electrified transportation,” said Lompoc Utility Director Charles Berry. “With an ever-increasing understanding of the use habits of these chargers, we can continue to find new and innovative ways to add value to our community in thoughtful ways that reflect sustainability for Lompoc.”
