Helena addressing electric vehicle charging infrastructure through state grant
The City of Helena recently received a grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs for electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
A charging station that can facilitate two cars at one time will be built at the Helena Sports Complex.
"When you look at public charging stations, you have the one in Alabaster on 1-65 until you get to downtown Birmingham. Then you have to go over to Leeds going east to find the nearest public charging station. If you go west, then you have to go all the way to Tuscaloosa," explained Puckett. "Yes, we are off the beaten path of a major interstate or highway, but we have so many people coming to this area that are embracing the electric cars already in the community so this a great opportunity to bring the resources here locally."
The city received $33, 740 from the grant.
Puckett submitted four different applications for various public areas in the city, like Cahaba Lily Park, City Hall, the sports complex, and Lee Springs Park. The state landed on the sports complex.
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"In the southern metro Birmingham area, Helena has the second most registered electric vehicles only behind Hoover. I was shocked to see that we had almost 200 electric vehicles registered here in the city," said Helena Mayor Brian Puckett. "The sports complex is a great location just simply because there are so many people there all the time, whether it's football season, basketball season, softball, baseball season, or soccer season. People are constantly coming and going."
He added the city is working with Alabama Power's Energy Services to coordinate construction dates for the charging stations at the sports complex.
There is room for growth at the sports complex when needed.
"The great thing about the sports complex location is where we have positioned it and running the power to it to host the charging stations, it is able to expand down the median. So as we continue to grow as a city, as more and more people purchase electric vehicles we can continue to add stations to that location," Puckett explained.
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Puckett said they'll continue to search for opportunities to grow the city's EV infrastructure.
"I apply for grants for the city for various things pretty much every other week it seems like, writing those grant applications. This will not be the last one that we try to go after for electric charging stations for our city, whether it be at a new development or an existing one that we already have. A new park may be get developed and have electric vehicle stations at it," said Puckett.
He added the city was thankful to be chosen by the state to receive the funding.
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With this round of grants, $2.45 million were awarded for 18 projects, including businesses along Highway 280 in Sylacauga and Alexander City.
"Needless to say, electric cars at present are rather expensive and installation of charging stations will not be cheap. Car manufacturers see a future in them as other manufacturers besides Tesla are coming onto the market. Grant money is probably the only way at this time such a costly project can be accomplished. We must prepare for the future. It will be essential not only for our local citizens but for those passing through our city as well, we find it very important to our community," said Sylacauga Mayor Jim Heigl.
In Guin, the first charging station along I-22 will be installed at the Holiday Inn. That station will have six bays for charging.
For EV driver Brian Lott, it's a relief to see the state focusing on EV charging infrastructure.
''I've had my EV maybe six months now and I've driven it all the way the country to California and back and it's fun but finding chargers is hard, especially around here," he said.
He believes improving charging infrastructure is a must.
"All vehicles are going to be electric very soon. I believe in the next few years. All the manufacturers are going that way. We've got to have the infrastructure to support it."
In the meantime, for those looking into getting an electric vehicle, Lott encouraged them to not let range anxiety get to them.
"It's easy to do, you just have to plan ahead a little bit. People should keep in mind that often you charge at your house so usually, you don't need a charger at all unless you are on a long trip like I am," Lott said. "We love it. There are just a lot of side benefits that you don't even think of, like not often having to stop for fuel because you charge at home. They are so quiet. You really find that you notice the fumes have gone away."