(REPUBLIC, WA) -- Ferry
County PUD’s new solar EV charging station is in operation. The project has a
long history dating back to a “Solar Schools” project about a decade ago.
General Manager John Friederichs reports that a piece of faulty equipment from
that project was stored in the PUD’s basement until the manufacturer offered to
replace it, opening the door to use it for a new purpose.
Friederichs
says the PV equipment was from a PUD-owned off-grid system that was removed
from service when the customer was connected to the normal distribution grid.
The system had originally been paid for through a USDA/RUS grant. The remainder
of the new solar PV/charging system includes a used meter base/disconnect
purchased off eBay, a meter and related conduit and hardware. The Clipper Creek
charger, with a normal retail price of nearly $2,000 was donated by private
individuals through Plug-In North Central Washington, a non-profit subsidiary
of the North Central Washington Economic Development District. The use of the
charger is free to the vehicle owner with Plug-In North Central Washington
responsible for picking up the energy cost.
“The
difference with our system lies in the fact that the energy generated by the
solar modules feeds into the grid directly which gives a “net-metered”
installation of sorts, except that the utility owns the equipment rather than
the customer,” said Friederichs. So far the peak output has been just under
1800 watts AC.
As
of October 31, Ferry County PUD has put roughly 150 kilowatt hours back into
the grid, while providing 13 kWh to recharge a Tesla S (pictured below).
Should the energy used to charge vehicles ever exceed the energy generated
during the course of the year, Plug-In NCW will be billed annually for that
use; ensuring the PUD at least breaks even.
“We
see this as an economic development benefit to our community,” said
Friederichs. “When a driver connects a car to our charger, they will be
spending a couple of hours in Republic, enjoying a meal or even an overnight
stay.”
Early
in the planning, Mike Nelson, past director of the WSU Energy Extension Office,
referred to Republic as “The missing tooth in the smile of an electrified
Highway 20” and he was instrumental in spreading the work about the proposal,
which led to the offer of the donated charger.
