Tumwater’s Pioneer Park will be home to the city’s new solar-powered station that can charge electric cars, e-bikes and wheelchair batteries, free to the public. This grid-independent solar unit is scheduled to be deployed in the next six months.
“It’s been ordered,” says Alyssa Jones Wood, the city’s sustainability coordinator. She says city staff plan two public meetings at Pioneer Park to discuss more details. The first meeting is September 11, 2024, pre-deployment, to receive community input on the preferred location for the charging unit. The unit will be situated in a convenient and accessible parking stall in the park’s lot, and a couple of stalls are under consideration. Jones Wood invites the public to give input on the specific location. “We want to have them learn more about the project and help us make it right the first time,” she says.
Woods Jones says a second public meeting will be scheduled after the installation, when staff will demonstrate how to operate the charger and will answer questions.
Tumwater and State Finance New Solar Charging Station for Electric Vehicles and More at Pioneer Park
The dual-port solar charger is funded by a $87,052 Washington Department of Commerce grant coupled with $12,742 from the city through its general fund allocation for sustainability initiatives. “The grant program wanted to have alternate energy projects, to reduce stress on the grid,” Jones Wood explains of the state funding.
For at least the next six years, the charging station will be free to use, reducing barriers to access for electric vehicle owners, electric wheelchair users, and e-bike riders. Following the end of the six-year grant, the city has the option of assessing a charging fee.
The ADA-accessible unit is an EV (Electric Vehicle) ARC from Beam Global. The unit tracks the sun. “They act like a sunflower,” Jones Wood explains. Once the unit receives solar input, it stores and provides clean electricity. The EV ARC can charge electric cars, and its 110-volt outlet can charge other devices such as electric wheelchairs and e-bikes, which should make the unit a popular resource at the park. “A lot of people ride e-bikes in Tumwater,” adds Jones Wood.
City staff will place stickers on the unit to explain its uses. Since the unit is solar with a battery backup and is not connected to the grid, the unit is limited to approximately 300 miles of vehicle charge each day.
Jones Wood says Pierce County has expressed interest in following Tumwater’s pilot program. The city of Bellingham also recently installed several solar chargers in local parks. Jones Woods says solar charging units are also used in California and New York, with New York City installing them to power up its electric vehicle fleet.
And there’s a bonus function during power outages. “They can be used as a generator and deployed in emergencies without impacting air quality,” Jones Wood says. She explains that’s because not only are solar-only units not on the power grid, but they are also flood tolerant and can withstand high winds. Jones Wood originally hales from Florida, where she saw these kinds of units in action during power outages caused by hurricanes.
Tumwater’s Solar Charging Station is New Addition to City’s Sustainability Program
Tumwater’s new solar charging station is part of the city’s sustainability program that embraces solar energy and encourages electric vehicles to reduce dependence on internal combustion engine vehicles and fossil fuels.
Currently, residents and visitors may use three free, public Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations at Tumwater City Hall on Israel Road. This new station at Pioneer Park will be the city’s first solar-powered charging option. The Pioneer Park station is a pilot project to see if more chargers are suitable for other city parks, and staff will be tracking usage data monthly to gather information on number of charges and average length of time of a charge. Pioneer Park was selected for a first effort based on several factors, including its location near high-traffic recreational space, multi-family housing units and Interstate 5, as well considering the park’s current infrastructure.
Learn More about Pioneer Park’s New Solar Charging Station Coming Soon in Tumwater
The public meeting on September 11 to gather feedback will be at Pioneer Park at 5801 Henderson Boulevard SE, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tumwater staff will be posting more information on the city’s website and notifying the public when installation is complete, and the unit is ready to go. A second public meeting will be scheduled at the park within 60 days after deployment.
For more information about this Tumwater project, contact Sustainability Coordinator Alyssa Jones Wood or call 360.754.4140.
