Solar-powered electrical vehicle charging stations in Lompoc available for free public use

LOMPOC, Calif. – Community members can now take advantage of free solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations at Lompoc Valley Medical Center.

“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.”

People can use the two stations at the hospital, located at 1515 East Ocean Ave., to charge their electric and plug-in hybrid cars at any time of the day for free, said Lompoc spokeswoman Samantha Scroggin.

The stations are designed to generate and store clean electricity, and then deliver the electricity to electric and hybrid cars at any time of the day.

Each station has two charging plugs so that up to four cars can charge simultaneously, Scroggin said, adding that a 222 square-foot solar array on each station is rated to withstand wind speeds of up to 120 miles per hour.

The stations are of no cost to users with a ChargePoint account.

First-time station users can sign up for a free ChargePoint account at ChargePoint.com/drivers/activate.

The Lompoc City Council authorized the purchase of two electric vehicle charging stations in July 2021 using an infrastructure grant provided through the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District.

The stations are helping the city's electric division conduct research that will identify strategies for the city to distribute energy resources in an affordable reliable manner, Scroggin said.