Charging Station Demonstration

Western Technical College, along with Xcel Energy, will be hosting a demonstration of the college’s first interconnected Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station on Thursday, Sept. 15 at 2:00 p.m. at Western’s Apprenticeship and Industry Training Center, 2860 21st Place South, La Crosse.

This is the first interconnected EV charging station in Xcel Energy’s service area using the organization’s infrastructure program. Interconnected charging is the process by which electricity will first be provided by onsite solar energy, rather than a traditional power grid. When solar panels are not producing electricity, such as on cloudy days or in the evening, the stations will use electricity from the power grid. The charging stations are free and can be used by the public.

“It’s an exciting time for electric vehicle transportation in western Wisconsin,” said Brian Elwood, general manager, Xcel Energy. “This project demonstrates how we can partner with public institutions to cost effectively integrate electric transportation into their sustainability plans and help showcase the possibilities that EVs provide.”

“I am excited that we worked with Xcel Energy and Olson’s Solar Energy to showcase how interconnected solar electric vehicle charging stations work,” said Genevieve Mortenson, Energy and Environmental Compliance Coordinator at Western. “This will pave the way for our region by demonstrating future electric transportation possibilities.”

The event is free and open to the public. To learn more information on Western’s sustainability initiatives, visit www.westerntc.edu/sustainability.