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Avista, Mayor Verner Unveil Electric Vehicle Charging Station Avista and Spokane Mayor Mary Verner recently unveiled a new electric vehicle charging station in the parking lot just north of Spokane City Hall.
The charging station is one of three that Avista installed during April in Spokane. Other stations are located at the Steam Plant Grill and Avista’s headquarters on East Mission.
As the cost of fuel and pressure to lessen dependence on oil increases, consumers are adopting more alternative modes of transportation. Electric/gas hybrid vehicles are now available to the public, and later this year the first mass produced electric vehicles will be available. More of these vehicles are being manufactured, and options for converting to alternative transportation are becoming more affordable to the average consumer.
“Over the last two years, the City has been working to implement programs and projects that help our environment and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels,” said Mayor Mary Verner. “On this Earth Day, we’re excited to unveil our latest project—the addition of an electric vehicle charging station. My thanks go out to our great partner on this project, Avista.”
With widespread adoption of alternative transportation will come demand for energy to power these vehicles, which is where electric charging stations come in. While charging will be completed at home, the availability of public stations will help eliminate the “range anxiety” of electric transportation. As one of the greenest utilities in the country, Avista is committed to providing customers with the tools and information they need to make wise energy choices in their daily lives, and to leading the charge to conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing energy consumption.
“Electric vehicle charging stations may one day be as prevalent as gas stations are today,” said Dave Holmes, Manager of Applied Research and Development at Avista. “Installing these stations will give us valuable and practical insight as to the challenges, problems and opportunities associated with them.” Since Mayor Verner took office in 2007, the City has been working to increase its sustainability efforts. The City formed a Sustainability Task Force in 2008 that developed a Sustainability Action Plan for the City that provided a series of recommendations and strategies to respond to the impacts of climate change and rising energy prices. Since that time, the City has implemented a series of programs and projects designed to address these issues—everything from new community gardens to the use of re-refined motor oil in the City’s fleet to strategies to increase use of recycled materials. |
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