ASCENSION HEALTH
St. Elizabeth Hospital President Travis Andersen showed the new ChargePoint electric vehicle charging station on the hospital campus in Appleton, Wis. Iqbal Mian, sustainability team leader at Affinity Health System, St. Elizabeth's parent, says the hospital's is currently the only public charging station in the Fox Valley, an area with more than 160,000 residents where St. Elizabeth is located.
The unit can charge two cars at a time, with about two hours at the station providing power for 20 to 40 miles of driving. The hospital got a grant to install the station. Patients, visitors and staff can plug in their cars for free during the first year. Mian says when the hospital starts charging for the service, pricing will be based on electricity costs at the time.
The hospital installed the charging station because it wants to encourage the use of vehicles that produce fewer carbon emissions, Mian said. He knows of a few hospital employees with electric cars. Three people used the charging station in March, and hospital officials hope that number increases as they promote public awareness of the service.
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