For Sonoma County Airport, Happiness Is... EV Charging
Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airport (STS) near Santa Rosa, California is named for the late beloved Peanuts creator and long- time area resident. Schulz was way ahead of his time when it came to the environment (back in the 1970s he even made a short film with the Environment Protection Agency). It’s appropriate then that his namesake airport is taking sustainability to new heights by installing ChargePoint® electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions in their newly updated long-term parking garage.
EV Charging Is... Sustainable
Superior features weren’t the only reason Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County chose ChargePoint over the competition though. ChargePoint already had a proven track record with the airport dating back several years. That’s because Sonoma County itself takes pride in its sustainability efforts and worked to provide STS with an Air District grant to install EV chargers back in January 2013. “We installed two charger units in front of our terminal building,” says airport manager, Jon Stout. “At the time, there weren’t a lot of EVs, but that has now picked up and it’s fairly steady,” he says. As part of its ongoing commitment to sustainability, the airport is currently working with rental car companies to provide EVs to customers visiting the region. The airport is also in the process of reviewing over-parking solar panels so, in Stout’s words, “we can have a totally green product.”
EV Charging Is... In Demand
Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport is a great alternative for folks who don’t want the hassle of dealing with the traffic and crowds at larger terminals in the Bay Area and state capital. It’s also the perfect choice for people who want a taste of California’s beautiful Wine Country prior to their flights. Once a well-kept secret, the airport has been attracting a lot of new travelers in recent years. In fact, growth is up 114% since 2009. “As you can imagine, our parking lots filled up,” says airport manager, Jon Stout. A $20 million airport expansion includes a new terminal and long-term parking lot. The new lot adds to the 450 parking spots that have capably served the airport’s customers for decades. Along with those new spaces come 11 ChargePoint EV charging spots.
EV Charging Is... An Expected Amenity
“It’s getting to the point where EV charging is going to be an amenity like having free Wi-Fi in the terminal,” says Stout. “You’ve got to have it if you’re going to compete.” But, as a small airport without a lot of extra power to spare, standalone, non-networked stations weren’t an option at Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport. The charging spots needed to accommodate cars that might be plugged in for up to weeks at a time. That’s where ChargePoint comes in. “Power Management gives us the ability to manage resources, so we don’t have to have the same energy requirements as we would have for a normal installation of this size,” says Stout. With Power Management, electricity can be intelligently distributed among several vehicles until configured power ceiling is reached, helping to manage usage and save money.
EV Charging Is... Affordable (with incentives)
Its previous experience with the Sonoma County air district grant helped STS put together the application to fund its most recent expansion. Although the airport had to postpone installing its new ChargePoint solutions for a few months while the grant moved through the approval process, the investment in time turned out to be well worth the wait in terms of savings. When it was approved, the new grant shaved nearly $39,000 off of the cost of the hardware—a savings of nearly 40%!
It’s getting to the point where EV charging is going to be an amenity like having free Wi-Fi in the terminal. You’ve got to have it if you’re going to compete.
Jon Stout
Airport Manager
Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport
ChargePoint Delivered
- Automated sustainability reporting showing station usage and GHG emissions avoided
- The first ENERGY STAR® certified charging station hardware for airports
- User-friendly stations that meet customer demands
- A proven solution adaptable for public, customer and employee use
- A comprehensive portfolio of solutions, backed by a team of industry experts and a familiar brand that’s been focused on charging for more than a decade
- Charging stations: ENERGY STAR certified CT4000 stations for long-term parking
- Cloud services: ChargePoint dashboard includes usage reporting
- Ability to manage access and pricing policies by driver groups
- Meet reporting requirements from grant: kWH dispensed and overall utilization
At ChargePoint, we believe stories have the power to change the world.
Our customers share their stories because they’re passionate about the often-unforeseen ways the electrification of transportation has impacted their organizations. Like many companies around the globe, they’ve discovered that what’s good for the planet can also be good for business.
E-mobility is here to stay. Perhaps it’s time to tell your own story. Reach out to us at sales@chargepoint.com and let us know. We’d love to hear it.