SEATTLE - Electric car owners in Seattle can now fuel up at a station that produces some of its own power.
North Coast Electric cut the ribbon Wednesday on its new electric car charging station that also collects and stores solar power.
The station is the first of its kind in Seattle and will soon hook up batteries that will store power generated from solar panels atop the canopy over the pumps.
Another company, Grid Mobility, of Kirkland, will then manage that power so it can pulled onto the grid when demand is highest for green power. The idea is to move electric cars and green power away from electricity generated by coal- and natural gas-powered electric plants.
"We believe we should not move our transportation from fossil fuels in the tank to fossil fuels to generate electricity," said Grid Mobility President James Holbery.
The solar panels can only produce a small amount of the electricity customers will get when they power up at the station, but advocates, including Seattle City Light, feel it's a step in the right direction. Several more stations are planned for the area.
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