The Mountain Association’s Energy Team has been working closely with businesses, nonprofits and local governments on Electric Vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure for the past few years and how to make smart decisions around demand and costs. This blog is a part of a short series we are doing on EV charging in Eastern Kentucky.
This February, something new arrived in London — a free electric vehicle (EV) charging station at the London office of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth. While it may look like a simple addition to a parking lot, for KFTC, it is a way to further live out their mission, sharing energy supplied by the sun with members of their community and beyond.
The installation grew from a partnership with Mountain Association Energy Team and builds on the organization’s recent investment in rooftop solar panels. After accumulating a surplus of credits with their utility, offering EV charging became the natural next step to sharing the bounty with neighbors and visitors.
Why It Matters in Rural Kentucky
The new charger at KFTC is a Level 2, which typically powers a vehicle in about 4–8 hours — faster than a standard home outlet and ideal for community spaces where people spend time working, meeting, or connecting. While faster chargers exist, Level 2 stations are often the most practical and accessible option for local organizations, workplaces, and community centers.
It’s key to building infrastructure in rural communities for a variety of reasons, one being opening the choice of EVs to families in Appalachian Kentucky who often travel long distances for work, healthcare, and daily needs. In a previous blog we did on the Pros and Cons of EVs in Eastern Kentucky, we highlighted how EVs typically cost less per mile than gasoline vehicles and can help households save money on transportation — sometimes hundreds of dollars each year. With access to more chargers throughout the region, people can begin to consider if an EV makes sense for their next vehicle.
Expanding access to charging also helps communities welcome visitors traveling by electric vehicle and who can support local businesses while their vehicle is charging. For example, with an EV charger recently installed in Barbourville, they are seeing people come down to town and off the highway to charge their cars.
Community Investment for the Long Term
For Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, the new charging station reflects a simple but powerful idea: when communities invest in shared resources, everyone benefits. By connecting efficient and more affordable energy with everyday transportation, the organization continues to support a healthier, more resilient future for the region.
Carl Weaver, a community organizer with KFTC, explained that installing the charging station at the organization’s office has the potential to make KFTC’s work more visible. Weaver reflected on his own experience before working at KFTC, recalling how he used to pass by the building, notice the solar panels, and stop to learn more out of curiosity—an experience he believes many others share.
“A lot of people pass by, notice the solar panels, and then see the charger and realize it’s free,” Weaver said. “I think that curiosity will help more people learn about what our organization does.”
How Mountain Association Can Help Others Explore EV Chargers
Community organizations, businesses, and local governments interested in exploring EV charging solutions can connect with Mountain Association to learn more about funding opportunities and project planning. Contact Hope Broecker at Hope@mtassociation.org with any questions.
To learn more about our Energy Program visit here: https://mtassociation.org/energy/
