Target: Pete Buttigieg, Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation
Goal: Produce more solar powered electric vehicle charging stations.
There is no stopping the electric car wave hitting the United States. More companies are releasing their own EVs, EV range is increasing, and more people are making the switch to electric. To support these changes, the country is pushing to install more charging stations which in turn allow EVs to travel even farther. To sustainably support this growth now and for the future, we need more solar-powered charging stations.
EVs are almost always better for the climate than cars using internal combustion engines–but in most areas, they still have a carbon footprint because they run on energy from an electric grid powered partly by fossil fuels. Meanwhile, this grid is struggling to keep up with increased demand. Forbes reports that at the current rate of growth, electric cars would need a 20% increase in power from the grid to support charging. Charging EVs with solar power would help address this problem while further reducing carbon emissions. Coal is the second largest producer of electricity in the country, and so is partly what fuels our electric cars. Something has to give to make EVs truly sustainable.
Sign the petition below to urge Secretary Buttigieg towards making solar powered charging stations the standard across the country.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Secretary Buttigieg,
We are at an energy crossroad in this country, where the mass adoption of electric vehicles and a shift to renewable energy are both needed to bring down carbon emissions.
One thing is for certain: EVs have not liberated us from fossil fuels. Their dependence on charging stations powered by local utilities is placing an unforeseen burden on power plants, including those burning coal. As the number of EVs rises, they will require more from our local power grids and fossil fuel supplies. This also takes away from the power needs of homes and businesses as the number of people blooms in populated areas, where the majority of EVs are found.
The solution is solar-powered charging stations that run independently from the municipal grid. We have the technology; now it simply needs to be deployed on a massive scale. The companies manufacturing EV charging stations need a push to be a part of a renewable solution, and that requires action from you and the Department of Transportation.
Only then when EVs are powered by renewables will they be fully sustainable and self-sufficient. We urge you to create expectations for solar charging stations to be the standard nationwide.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Raysonho
I think this is a very good idea!
We can use solar and have a ready supply available without the trouble of these various electrical corporations.
A brilliant idea! Thank you.