Plug-in and recharging stations installed at a truckstop in Baker City, Ore., will help truckers save on fuel costs while also reducing the emissions that idling vehicles release into the environment.

Baker Truck Corral, just off Interstate 84 in eastern Oregon, is the first of 50 truckstops around the country to be outfitted by Shorepower Technologies in conjunction with Cascade Sierra Solutions through a program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

A formal ribbon cutting and open house with local dignitaries officially recognized the truckstop electrification project on August 12.

Twenty-four truck parking spaces at Baker Truck Corral are now equipped with electrical service that will allow drivers to operate heaters, air conditioning systems and appliances in their cabs without having to run the engine. The plug-in stations are similar to those already available at boat marinas and recreational vehicle parks.

The pedestals provide 120 VAC, 208 VAC or 240 VAC power sources. Power and cable TV access are available at $1 per hour, with wireless Internet available for an additional charge. Access and payment can be handled with a card, smartphone, laptop or telephone activation system.

STEP

The Baker Truck Corral installation is part of the Shorepower Truck Electrification Project in which more than 1,200 electrified parking spaces will be added at 50 truckstops around the country. That will more than double the number of spaces already available.

"Thanks to our grant, qualifying truckstops can receive a complete TSE system at no cost to them and Shorepower handles everything from construction through grand opening," Kim said. "This represents the opportunity to save over 7 million gallons of diesel per year."

Bob Lee, president of Roady's Truck Stops (which includes Baker Truck Corral) likes truckstop electrification with simple pedestals. "Ultimately this is going to come down as a business decision for the driver and the fleet," Lee said. With the savings provided through TSE, "The right thing to do is to shut the engine off."

Switching trucks from their own engines to the power grid means using electricity at an off-peak period for electric consumption, adding to the efficiency of existing power generation facilities.

Shorepower says its systems could be installed not just at truckstops but also at rest areas, warehouses, truck depots, terminals and other parking areas. Lee said Shorepower installations could also prove popular for the growing number of electric cars whose drivers will want places to recharge their vehicles.

Rebates for Truckers

As the manager of a U.S. Department of Energy grant for the Shorepower Technologies Electrification Project (STEP), Cascade Sierra Solutions is not only bringing power pedestals to truckstops but assisting truck owners in equipping their vehicles to take advantage of them.

Rebates are available to long- haul vehicle owners operating in any of the lower 48 states. Independent owner-operators and fleets are eligible (with a maximum of 25 rebates per fleet). Equipment purchases must be pre-authorized by Cascade Sierra Solutions with a Rebate Certificate prior to installation. Vehicle owners must agree to keep rebated equipment in service, and to use STEP project electrified truck parking where available, until June 2014.

Vehicle owners receiving rebates also agree to provide certain vehicle profile and operating data for project reporting to the U. S. Department of Energy (summary data only will be reported, not specific vehicle data). Equipment to be installed must be able to hook-up to the power grid when the vehicle is at rest, (electric standby) or operate on battery, and must be listed as a SmartWay verified technology on the Environmental Protection Agency's website or have received specific authorization from the program. For a list of authorized products, go to http://www.csswebform.org/WebForm/Supplier_list.aspx.

Types of equipment eligible for the rebates, and the maximum payments, include: Auxiliary Power Units or Generator Sets with electric standby options ($2,000 max); battery HVAC systems ($1,600); Battery Evaporative Cooler systems ($700); Thermal Storage systems ($260); Truck Cold Plate systems ($3,200); Trailer Transport Refrigeration Units with electric standby options ($5,000); e-Hybrid Transport Refrigeration Units with electric standby options ($5,000).

For more information on Cascade Sierra or the STEP program: www.cascadesierrasolutions.org.