AMHERST – Amherst has to be potential to be a leader when it comes to hosting electric car charging stations.
The town has taken possession of a charger that was provided by Tatamagouche resident David Stevenson, who is a strong supporter of renewable energy and likes what Amherst is doing to promote itself as a green community.
“Amherst is another community in a series that have shown that they’re embracing renewal energy and helping rid the world of the fumes we don’t need,” said Stevenson, a retired educator who is president of Colchester-Cumberland Wind Field, a windfarm located between Tatamatouche and Earltown. “It’s a good feeling to have another one added.”
Stevenson said he has made several visits to Amherst to discuss how the town could embrace renewable energy. Adding a charging station sends a message.
“You’re welcoming cars that are a little different from the ordinary cars of today, but those ordinary cars are going to go,” he said. “They won’t be here in 50 years. There’s a new path.”
He said people with electric cars plan their vacations around communities that have charging stations. Amherst’s station is already on the website the electric vehicle owners consult.
“People can go on www.plugshare.com and see that Amherst has one and the fact it’s located downtown is also great because towns are always looking for ways to get more visitors downtown,” said Stevenson, who drives a Tesla.
Stevenson has long dreamed of having a charging station in every community of Nova Scotia. His interest in electric vehicles was raised when he met David Swan, a director with the Colchester-Cumberland wind farm. They met up with a person from Saskatchewan who is trying to install chargers across the country.
Stevenson and Swan began their volunteer work to bring stations to various communities including Parrsboro, Masstown, Truro, New Glasgow and the Annapolis Valley.
As they were installing a charger in Grand Pre, near Wolfville, they learned Eaton (which manufactures car charging stations, was throwing away three chargers intended for the South Shore. They contacted the company asking for the chargers. While the company declined to give them the ones they were discarding, they agreed to provide three new chargers – one of which came to Amherst.
Twitter: @ADNdarrell
