Government

VA to install solar-powered EV charging stations nationwide

Image provided by iStock.

October 10, 2022

The General Services Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs announced a contract award for the purchase of 140 solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations at 34 VA sites around the country, according to a press release.

The 140 solar-powered EV charging stations will maximize the VA's flexibility on charging because they are mobile, rely on carbon-free electricity and are independent of the grid, according to the press release. Each station will be equipped with four charging ports.

The VA is looking to install charging stations at its medical centers and other locations in preparation for transitioning its fleet to EVs.

The GSA, the mandatory source for executive agencies purchasing non-tactical vehicles in the U.S. — excluding postal vehicles — offers various types of EV charging stations through its multiple award schedule program and also recently awarded 16 government-wide blanket purchase agreements which will enable planning for and acquisition of EV stations at federal facilities.

In the last year, the number of EV charging stations ordered by GSA for the federal fleet rose from 643 in FY21 to more than 3,550 in FY22.