Maryland is celebrating its latest "green" initiative. Today, Gov. Martin O'Malley unveiled the state's first solar-powered charging station.
It's located in the middle of a parking lot at 10401 Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda, near the Wildwood Shopping Center.
The charging station allows electric cars to plug in for a quick recharge. Officials said an hour of charging time will yield about 20 miles of travel time for most vehicles.
The 18-foot tall pole facility was manufactured byAdvanced Technology & Research Corp
. of Columbia, Md. It allows two vehicles to charge at a time.
It's one of several charging stations around the state but the only one that's powered by the sun.
It's operated much like a gas pump. Users swipe a card then plug in.
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Right now it's free, but eventually users will pay a fee.