NWT EV charging corridor

[Earl]

A few CHAdeMO/CCS stations recently showed up on Plugshare along NT-1 and NT-3 on the way to Yellowknife. Does anyone know anything about when these might be going in?
Plugshare says:
"Coming 2021/2022 - This is one of several locations selected for a Level 3 DCFC charging station, part of the first phase of Government of Northwest Territories’ plan to create an EV charging corridor along Highways 1 and 3."
Enterprise: PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
Fort Providence: PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
Rae-Edzo: PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
We're looking forward to this. Kudos to NWT. I just hope Alberta matches them or there will be a few slow charges running north from Edmonton until you get into NWT.

 

[J569]

A few CHAdeMO/CCS stations recently showed up on Plugshare along NT-1 and NT-3 on the way to Yellowknife. Does anyone know anything about when these might be going in?
Plugshare says:
"Coming 2021/2022 - This is one of several locations selected for a Level 3 DCFC charging station, part of the first phase of Government of Northwest Territories’ plan to create an EV charging corridor along Highways 1 and 3."
Enterprise: PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
Fort Providence: PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
Rae-Edzo: PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
We're looking forward to this. Kudos to NWT. I just hope Alberta matches them or there will be a few slow charges running north from Edmonton until you get into NWT.

I found this news article from June 2021 that suggests that the plan is for those three stations to go live sometime in 2021-2022: Here’s where the NWT plans to put electric vehicle fast chargers

That article's primary source is the NWT government's EV infrastructure report from October 2020 that recommends 6 fast charger sites between Yellowknife and the Alberta border in 3 phases: DocumentCloud

 

[ecarfan]

I found this news article from June 2021 that suggests that the plan is for those three stations to go live sometime in 2021-2022: Here’s where the NWT plans to put electric vehicle fast chargers

That article states this, quote:
———————-
”Along with 60th Parallel Territorial Park, Birch Lake is one of two locations in the report that are more than 100 kilometres from the nearest access to the power grid.

Rather than extend power lines, the report proposes an off-grid, solar-powered charging station from California-based company Beam Global as a solution.

The territorial government is unsure of the technology and doesn’t expect to install chargers at Birch Lake and 60th Parallel Park until 2030, much later than the 2021-2022 deadline it set for other, more readily accessible locations.

“The item in the report that talks about one of the solutions in California involving solar and batteries – that’s the type of solution we’d wait for the technology to mature first before we even look at it,” said Sexton, who oversees the territory’s phased approach to EV infrastructure.

“Our intention here is to proceed with the phase one approach where we do the locations that are technically viable and look for solutions for the future.”

But Beam Global’s chief executive, Desmond Wheatley, says that off-grid solar technology is ready today.

He remains optimistic the technology would work in Canada’s north, even as he acknowledged the NWT’s long, dark winters would limit its capacity for much of the year.”
——————————

While I can see an independent solar/battery charging station system having some functionality for about half the year, it’s hard to envision it being able to provide much charging from October through March.

 

[J569]

While I can see an independent solar/battery charging station system having some functionality for about half the year, it’s hard to envision it being able to provide much charging from October through March.

I think that’s why that report proposes a phased approach with 3 stations with grid access opening in the 2021-2022 timeframe (Rae-Edzo/Behchokǫ̀, Fort Providence, and Enterprise), with the others dependent on infrastructure/technology improvements and thus opening much later. Those 3 are the ones that appear on plugshare now as future sites.

 

[Earl]

While I can see an independent solar/battery charging station system having some functionality for about half the year, it’s hard to envision it being able to provide much charging from October through March.

I would think that a cold-weather hardened wind turbine might be a good redundant power source for the winter. I could also envision an on-demand generator at such stations to top off the batteries when necessary.
Unfortunately, energy is a real challenge in high latitudes. This makes it even more important for us folks in the mid-latitudes to use alternatives so we leave the fossil fuel for those without the alternatives. [steps down from soapbox]

 

[ecarfan]

I would think that a cold-weather hardened wind turbine might be a good redundant power source for the winter.

If the wind patterns justify it, I think that is an excellent idea.

Unfortunately, energy is a real challenge in high latitudes. This makes it even more important for us folks in the mid-latitudes to use alternatives so we leave the fossil fuel for those without the alternatives.

Absolutely!