Winona State University has installed two new electric car charging stations. The stations are ready for use and open to students, faculty, staff, and the public and located in the Kryzsko Commons parking lot at 250 W 10th Street. As WSU is committed to creating a more sustainable campus and a carbon neutral society, vehicle electrification is a step closer to that goal.
WSU partnered with the community group Winona Climate Action Network to apply for and receive a CERTs Seed Grant for the charging stations. Clean Energy Resource Teams, or CERTs, connect individuals and communities in Minnesota to the resources they need to identify and implement community-based clean energy project. Additional funding came from WSU’s Student Green Fee grant program. The Student Green Fee is a student initiative designed to increase WSU’s sustainability efforts and enhance student experience. Any WSU student, faculty or staff member can submit a grant application for a Student Green Fee project.
Sustainability Director, Nathan Engstrom explains, “WSU has been working to find a cost-effective way to bring EV charging to campus. The opportunity to collaborate with a community partner on a grant, as well as partner internally with our students through their Green Fee Grant program, made for a compelling case to contribute the necessary campus funds to round out funding for the project.”
To utilize the charging stations, all users will need the free smartphone application, ampUp. The charging stations are free to use for WSU students. Faculty and staff will be receiving a reduced fee of $0.10 per kilowatt hour. Public users will be charged a one-dollar flat rate connection fee as well as $0.10 per kilowatt hour. Fees are collected through the app and then returned to the university. To receive reduced costs, students and faculty will need to register through email to the sustainability director.
WSU is taking additional steps towards a more sustainable campus, including adding two electric cars to its rental motor vehicle pool for employees and students to utilize. The two new additions are expected for delivery in late July.
To register for the charging stations or for further information contact, Nathan Engstrom nengstrom@winona.edu.
