Get a Charge Out of This

Ramona Madhosingh-Hector,
Urban Sustainability Agent
  
If you own an electric car, you’re in luck! You can now charge your vehicle at one of two designated electric charging stations in the west parking lot of the Pinellas County Courthouse in downtown Clearwater.

The two parking spaces or electric vehicle supply equipment sites are reserved for electric cars only. The program is the result of an agreement between the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners and Progress Energy Florida with funding from a Department of Energy grant.

The electric charging stations are part of the Get Ready Tampa Bay campaign to make alternative transportation choices readily available throughout the Tampa Bay area. Progress Energy plans to install 30 stations in Pinellas County, adjacent to government buildings, libraries, city halls, and commercial establishments.

Soon, getting around in your electric vehicle will be a convenient and comfortable driving experience. 

Resources –

Pinellas County Government
Get Ready Tampa 
National Project Get Ready

Pinellas Energy Efficiency Project at Science Center on September 22

Free energy saving kit
for class attendees

Don’t miss the free 60 minute class in advanced energy saving while attending the sustainability night at the Science Center of Pinellas County. Learn how much energy is wasted in the home every day, around the clock. Participants receive free equipment and materials to help cut energy costs, and save money each month.

Located just west of the Tyrone Square Mall on 22nd Avenue North, the Science Center is now the Science + Technology Education Innovation Center (STEIC). The Saturday sustainability event will culminate at midnight to celebrate the start of National Plug-In Day. Visitors will see the STEIC’s new electric car charging station and a home charging station will be given away at midnight. Visit the STEIC web site http://www.sciencecenterofpinellas.org for more information, or call 727-384-0027.

Pinellas Energy Efficiency Project is a grant-funded educational program of Pinellas County Extension. Extension programs are open to all persons without regard to race, color, sex, age, disability, religion, or national origin.

Get Ready Tampa Bay!

Mary Campbell 
Extension Director and Urban Sustainability Agent

The Tampa Bay region is preparing for electric vehicles. Get Ready Tampa Bay is a regional collaboration with interested groups to prepare Tampa Bay for the roll-out of electric vehicles (EV). No new idea or technology is ever really simple or easy to launch. Electric cars have been around a long time and were first developed along with gasoline powered vehicles in the 1800’s. Electric vehicles did not have the speed or range of gas powered vehicles and developing the new batteries has been a challenge. With new technology and a few bright ideas, EV has come a long way since the 1800’s.

Electric vehicles are an option for improving air quality and reducing dependence on imported oil. Sailing past the gas station may sound like a great idea. Electricity is produced in the U.S. as opposed to gasoline imported by tanker or pipeline and it is less affected by the volatile world oil market. Electric vehicles run clean and produce no air-polluting emissions.

The infrastructure needed to support plug-in vehicles is beginning to pop up. Charging stations will need to become as conveniently located as gas stations are now. The national Project Get Ready is a non-profit initiative led by the Rocky Mountain Institute with a wide array of partners to help cities develop infrastructure for plug-in vehicles. Motorists will have the option to drive clean, quiet-running automobiles, get great mileage and top off the charge with a local charging station. Drivers can locate stations in the Tampa Bay area and beyond at Charge Point America.

Resources:
Get Ready Tampa Bay
Florida Energy Systems Consortium-Batteries for Automobiles (pdf)
EPA Electric Vehicles Fact sheet
EPA Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles