Hanko Kiessner put it plainly: “clean air is an unalienable right.” His company, Packsize, is doing their part to ensure that residents of Salt Lake Valley get that right.
50 charging stations at Packwise’s Salt Lake City campus, available for both employees and the public to use, were unveiled on December 19.
“My vision for the city is one of a robust electrified transportation network; a network with smart mobility solutions for all residents,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski at the ribbon-cutting event.
The Salt Lake City Council and Mayor Biskupski passed joint resolutions last year to have Salt Lake City running completely on renewable energy by 2032 and to achieve an 80% reduction in community carbon pollution by 2040. Biskupski pointed to electric vehicle adoption and the workplace charging access Packwise is providing as “a milestone in our collective journey to a clean transportation future in Utah.”
Rocky Mountain Power, who Biskupski calls an “invaluable partner” in achieving Salt Lake City’s energy goals, covered 75% percent of the costs of the initiative, an incentive they’re willing to offer to any Utah businesses to install chargers on their campuses.
Rocky Mountain Power’s James Campbell explained at the ribbon cutting that “Rocky Mountain Power is committed to providing $10 million in incentives to make this dream [of electric vehicles] a reality.” They have procured an additional $4 million from the Department of Energy, meaning a net $14 million to be used for building an electric corridor and advancing smart mobility in Utah for what Campbell calls “a zero-emission urban experience.”
Packwise has at least 25 employees who commute in an emissions-free vehicle, and Kiessner hopes this initiative will encourage other employees and businesses to follow suit. “The electronic transportation revolution has begun,” he said.
More information on Salt Lake City’s 2032 and 2040 plans are available athttp://www.slcgreen.com/rmp-implementation-plan, and you can apply for your business to get an electric charger through the incentive program at https://www.rockymountainpower.net/ev
Video of the speakers at the Packsize ribbon cutting ceremony can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fznmq-cm9js.