Solar Battery And EV Charging Station On Display West Of Ames Power Plant

Press release from the City of Ames:

December 2, 2020

Ames Electric Services is supporting the Electric Power Research Center (EPRC) at Iowa State University and its project partners, SunCrate (Sioux City), PowerFilm Solar (Ames), and the Iowa Army National Guard (Camp Dodge) in a new mobile microgrid project. The project is an operational solar battery crate developed for deployment in emergency outage situations.

The solar crate is being used temporarily in the green space west of the Ames Power Plant, where the public can charge their electric vehicles (EVs) with free solar energy. This arrangement allows public interaction with the project and keeps the project close to campus so students and researchers can use it for tours and case studies. The crate, which is expected to stay 6 to 9 months, was created with funding from the National Guard and Iowa Economic Development Authority.

“This is a win-win for the both the project creators and the public,” said Ames Electric Services Director Donald Kom. “The site offers great visibility and opportunity for public education. Also, the EV charging allows the solar-powered batteries to be partially discharged, which is better for battery life.”

The crate is roped off and under 24/7 camera surveillance, and the only part that can be touched is the EV charger. Electric vehicles will need access to the parking space in front of the crate, so other vehicles should avoid those spaces if other parking spots are available.

“As we get closer to bringing our own solar project online, it’s exciting to collaborate with others to showcase creative renewable energy solutions for disaster situations like the derecho that Ames experienced this summer,” Kom added.

Ames Electric Services’ SunSmart Ames community solar farm is under construction and expected to produce electricity by the end of the year. Ames Electric Services customers can purchase solar energy by signing up for “Power Packs.” For more information, go to www.CityOfAmes.org/Solar

This press release was produced by the City of Ames. The views expressed here are the author’s own.