California Startup Launches All-Solar Fast Charging Stations—Free for Limited Time, with Expansion Planned

California-based startup PowerStation has recently launched a fully solar-powered DC fast-charging station near Baker, California, at the Rasor Road exit off Interstate 15. The station operates entirely off-grid, powered by 1,080 solar panels capable of generating up to 640 kW, and features a 3.4 MWh energy storage system that enables continuous operation even without sunlight. The site currently offers four CCS1 charging ports with a combined output capacity of 360 kW. When only one vehicle is charging, it can access the full power output; when multiple vehicles charge simultaneously, the system dynamically allocates power among them. The company plans to add six NACS connectors by summer 2024 and increase the shared output capacity to 600 kW. The station is open for public use without requiring an app download or membership registration and will remain free to use until May 31, 2026. After that date, charging fees will vary between $0.30 and $0.45 per kWh, depending on electricity demand and solar availability. A roughly 743-square-meter underground facility is under construction on-site and will eventually house rest areas and restrooms. Additionally, PowerStation is developing three more similar solar-powered fast-charging stations: one near Barstow along Interstate 15, expected to begin operations in 2024, and two others along Interstates 10 and 8, scheduled to come online in 2027. Charging infrastructure relying on renewable energy and energy storage systems is gradually expanding. For example, Tesla opened a fully solar- and battery-powered Supercharger station in Lost Hills in 2023, equipped with an 11 MW solar array and 10 Megapack battery units, providing approximately 39 MWh of total energy storage capacity and supporting up to 164 vehicles simultaneously.