Goleta City Council gives green light to solar-powered charging station
GOLETA, Calif. — The Goleta City Council recently approved the purchase of Santa Barbara County’s first EV ARC 2020, acting on its commitment to become a green and sustainable community.
The EV ARC is a transportable, 100% off-grid solar-powered electric vehicle charger that can also serve as a mobile emergency preparedness and energy resiliency asset.
The unit fits in a standard parking space and, being grid-independent, requires no construction, trenching or electrical circuit work, allowing for fast deployment in minutes.
The City of Goleta is the first organization in Santa Barbara County looking to deploy this type of equipment.
“Our city has made providing safe, reliable, affordable energy alternatives a priority for our community,” Goleta mayor Paula Perotte said. “This is another important step on our path to sustainable energy that also helps combat climate change."
“We are excited to see the City take this step to support the transition to electric vehicles in line with its sustainable energy and climate goals,” department of planning and environmental review director Peter Imhof said. “This solar-powered charging unit will offer flexible electric vehicle charging available to both City employees and members of the public.”
The EV ARC from BEAM Global, a San Diego-based company, is expected to be delivered to City Hall by early summer. More information on how the public can access the new EV charging station will be forthcoming.
“The City of Goleta is fortunate to be able to use grant funds from the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District and the California Office of Emergency Services to purchase the EV ARC, requiring no cash outlay by the City for the equipment," sustainability coordinator Cindy Moore said. “The equipment not only supports the City's 100% Renewable Energy goal but is also a resiliency asset that will operate during grid interruptions, providing zero emission EV charging and emergency preparedness in one product."
The EV ARC is one of many ways the City is striving to meet its goal of 100% Renewable Energy by 2030.
The City will be enrolling in Central Coast Community Energy in October 2021 in an effort to support clean energy at competitive rates and participate in innovative energy programs that facilitate the electrification of the transportation and built environments.
This year the City also anticipates moving forward with a solar photovoltaic project and EV charging stations at City Hall. Learn more about what the City of Goleta is doing here.
