US Naval Support Activity (NSA) Mid-South has launched a solar-powered electric car charging station at its base.
The new charging station is part of a $10m Navy Installations Command project to install seven sites with E85 alternative-fuel stations, nine sites with solar carports and five sites with stand-alone electric vehicle charging stations at Navy installations in the country.
Commenting on the launch, NSA Mid-South executive officer commander Brad Meeks said that the newly launched charging station was the first solar powered charging station in the Navy.
The carport features a 150-foot-long panel structure that tilts automatically to track the sun and can also protect against high wind or lightning strikes.
By employing the new carport, NSA can recharge its current fleet of 17 electric vehicles with renewable electricity in approximately four hours, by lowering demand on the commercial power grid.