Greg Crittenden, CEO of Woodstock-based Metro Plug-In, commends the city of Woodstock for installing an electric vehicle charging station while Mayor Donnie Henriques listens. Woodstock is the first government entity in Georgia to install such a station. A 2011 Nissan Leaf is being charged by the station.
Cherokee Tribune/Kristal Dixon
Cherokee Tribune/Kristal Dixon
Last week, the city became the first government entity in Georgia to install an electric vehicle charging station.
The station is located behind the future home of Freight Kitchen & Tap at 251 East Main St. It is free to use.
The city conducted a ribbon-cutting for the station Monday.
Metro Plug-In, Inc. installed the charging station for the city. It was part of the city's Partnership for a Sustainable Woodstock program, which was funded in part by a grant received in 2010 from the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority.
Woodstock Mayor Donnie Henriques said the city beat out its larger counterparts of Atlanta, Decatur and Roswell in taking the first steps toward promoting sustainability.
"We're leading the pack of doing things that are environmentally correct," he said.
Along with the charging station, the grant allowed for the installation of solar panels and energy efficient system at the Chambers at City Center, provide discounts on permit fees to local builders who build energy efficient homes and will convert lighting at the Park at City Center and planned amphitheatre to energy efficient LED lighting.
Greg Crittenden, CEO of Woodstock-based Metro Plug-In, said the 208-volt, level-two charging station can charge a Chevrolet Volt in three hours.
Crittenden said he was approached with the idea by City Planner Brian Stockton, who inquired about installing a possible charging station when the city held a ribbon-cutting for its solar panels.
Crittenden said he was pleased to see the city follow up with his plans.
"It doesn't really surprise me they are taking the lead," he said, adding the cities of Atlanta and Decatur are also considering installing charging stations.
Don Francis, executive director of Clean Cities Atlanta, commended the city for its commitment to promoting a healthy environment.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, Clean Cities is a public-private partnership tasked with reducing oil consumption across the county. Francis said the organization would like to install an electric vehicle plug-in in every home by 2015.
Woodstock's actions, Francis said, is a "big step forward" toward that goal.
Stockton said he hopes the charging station will give people an opportunity to check out downtown Woodstock.
"It'll bring people coming into the city who may not have come here before," he said.
Words like, "sustainable", "environmentally friendly", "smarter planet", etc. are terms used for what should really be called "Smarter Taxing".
Mr. Francis forgot a key word from the statement above, "..the organization would like to CHARGE to install an electric vehicle plug-in in every home by 2015." This would be followed by an ongoing monthly fee from your local electric service provider.
The station is located near 251 E. Main St. behind Freight Kitchen and Tap, and it is free of use to the public.