EV4Oregon installs solar charging station in Seattle

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EV4Oregon cut the ribbon on a new solar-powered charging station — Seattle's first — at the end of August.

Despite its company name, EV4Oregon LLC is reaching into Washington.

The maker of solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations celebrated the commissioning of its first Seattle installation on Aug. 31.

EV4Oregon co-founder Chad Biasi said he sees a market for more charging station installations to the north.

"Seattle is much more open to us than Portland," Biasi said. "Big installs are happening in Seattle."

EV4Oregon's distribution partner, North Coast Electric, installed one of EV4Oregon's charging stations — the company calls them "energy transfer merchants" — at its headquarters in Seattle.

"We have the first one in Washington," said Tom Woltjer, energy solutions manager for North Coast. McKinstry served as contractor for the installation.

EV4Oregon debuted its futuristic looking solar-powered charging station at the Portland International Auto Show in January. The first one was installed in Portland in June.

The Seattle installation highlighted what Biasi says is his charger's main benefit. A second phase of the installation will include battery storage technology and a smart-grid interface manufactured by GridMobility of Kirkland, Wash. The storage capacity will allow the charging unit to store solar power for future charging needs and offset grid demands.

That's of particular interest to Michael Pesin, chief technology adviser and smart grid architect for Seattle City Light.

"It allows to control when and how batteries charge," Pesin said. "You can create a load that follows generation."

With two-way communication, units such as EV4Oregon's could help manage the peaks and valleys of energy demand. While the idea is still largely conceptual, the second phase of the Seattle installation will help prove out the chargers' role in a smarter grid.

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