The SolarPump Charging Station is a self-contained island of free solar power for the public to charge electric bicycles and mobile electronics. The station, similar in size to a bus stop, offers seating and inspires conversation about energy consumption, solar power and electric vehicles.

The idea to design and build a solar charging station came to me after buying a used electric scooter and having trouble finding a place to charge it on my college campus.  I found that other cities and universities did not have the necessary charging infrastructure and that public outlets would be essential for a shift to electric vehicles. Designing my own charging station became my graduate design thesis work at the University of Texas in Austin.

SolarPump: Coachella, Indio, CA & 01SJ Biennial, Build Your Own World, San Jose, CA. 

          What role can design play in finding or promoting solutions to climate protection, clean mobility, renewable energy, and waste reduction?

The SolarPump Charging Station was envisioned to combine the repurposing of an American car culture symbol (a 1950s Citgo gas pump) with an interactive display harnessing solar energy to charge electric bikes and mobile electronics. The station has standard 110v outlets, so anyone can walk up and charge a cell phone, laptop, electric bike or scooter. The power comes from Sanyo Bifacial solar panels on the roof of the station, so there’s no charge for use of the electricity. The face of the gas pump has an LED digital display to indicate solar panel voltage, power output (to the inverter), and battery level. The new station design incorporate furniture made from recycled street signs, wireless internet, lockers and shade.

Display: solar voltage, power output, battery, by Dann Green of 4ms Pedals 

The excitement and support for the concept lead South by Southwest to commission three stations, which gave me the opportunity to work with industrial designer Dallas Swindle, sculptor Richard Mansfield, solar engineer Maverick Brown of Maverick Solar and a great team of builders. The success of the SolarPump lead me to create Sol Design Lab as a studio dedicated to the development of interactive and inspiring solutions for urban sustainability. Services offered include ecological design, fabrication, consulting, public art installations, green mapping and educational workshops.

I am interested in how to engage the public in using renewable energy that will aid a shift from gas vehicles to electric vehicles. The placement of functioning solar art in public places serves as a springboard for conversations about good design and renewable energy. “Even today, with 52% of U.S. electricity generated by coal-fired power plants, plug-in cars reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and most other pollutants compared with conventional gas or hybrid vehicles …Plug-ins can run on renewable electricity from sources such as the sun or wind.” – Zan Dubin Scott, pluginamerica.org.

SolarPump Station, SXSW, Austin, TX, 2010

The SolarPump charging stations have made appearances at college campuses, city streets, renewable energy fairs, and music and arts festivals.  We have demoed electric bicycles for the public or festival workers to use for the first time while charging them with the station. Recent events include the Bioneers Conference, San Rafael, CA; 01SJ Biennial: Build Your Own World, San Jose, CA; SXSW, Austin, TX;  Lollapalooza, Chicago, IL; Bay Area Maker Fair, San Mateo, CA; Coachella, Indio, CA; the Roskilde Music Festival, Denmark and the Hayes Valley Farm in San Francisco, CA. Press about the project has appeared in Poptech, Technology Review, Make Magazine, Tree Hugger and SXSW World.

In 2011, at the Hampshire College Lemelson Center in Amherst, MA, I will be teaching a course solar charging stations design. This course will start new partnerships with universities and schools to engage students in solar station design curriculum. To see one of the stations in action, you can travel to the Hayes Valley Farm in San Francisco (hayesvalleyfarm.com) or come to SXSW 2011.

Beth Ferguson founding director of Sol Design Lab, is a practicing ecological designer, community artist, and educator. She received an MFA in Design from the University of Texas, Austin and BA in ecological design from Hampshire College. www.soldesignlab.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtuCoLWWzgU