Want to Learn More About Electric Cars, E-bikes, Solar Power and Other Electrification Technology? Plan to Attend the E-Expo at Woodward Saturday Sept. 14
You don’t have to look very far or wide on Bainbridge Island to notice the growing number of electric cars and e-bikes cruising island streets and byways.
Stand on the corner of Wyatt Way and Grow Avenue on any given morning and you’re likely to see dozens of Teslas, Chevy Bolts and other electric cars silently whizzing by. Walk towards the ferry terminal when a commuter boat anchors, and you’ll notice a gaggle of e-bikers scooting up Olympic Drive (Highway 305) to Winslow Way.
Like a lot trends, our island community tends to be a bit of an early adapter. Pickleball comes readily to mind, but electric cars and e-bikes aren’t far behind. There have been Tesla owners on our rock ever since Elon Musk watched his first model roll off the assembly line in 2008. And e-bikers have been plying island roads the past dozen years or so as pedal-assist technology has been further developed and commercialized.
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Indeed, in recent years there has been an exponential growth in the sale of electric vehicles, as car makers have improved range, along with providing more models, and increased performance. About 13 percent of new cars sold in 2022 were electric. Similarly, electric bikes are becoming increasingly popular. In 2022, electric bike sales outpaced the combined sales of regular and hybrid bikes.
But these emerging transportation modes are still in their infancy, and there’s still much to learn and assimilate. Those are some of the reasons why the backers of the Bainbridge Island Environmental Conference and Electrification Expo! decided to stage their event – now in its third iteration – on Saturday September 14th from 12- 5 at Woodward Middle School.
New this year is the addition of an array of other so-called electrification technologies, familiar to most of us, such as heat pumps, solar, battery storage, induction ranges, landscaping equipment and the like. “This year we decided to go big or go home,” said Mike Cox, one of a plethora of volunteers behind event that was expanded in part because of the wide-ranging impacts of the federal Inflation Reduction Act.
“We’ll have people there that will teach people how to understand how to work with the feds (on energy projects),” Cox added, and show attendees how to “reduce greenhouse gas emissions (in their own homes and businesses), save money and be efficient.”
Not only will you learn more about electric vehicles and electric bikes, but you’ll have a chance to eat good food, enjoy music by local bands, hear presentations by experts, and be able to talk face-to-face with owners of various electric vehicles and electric bikes.
The BI Environmental Conference is an annual collaborative effort of multiple community organizations that inspires participants to become educated and take individual and collective action, Cox noted. “This year we focus on how to electrify our lives to help reduce our community carbon footprint and improve public health.”
Following the welcome address and opening plenary, a series of breakout sessions will be available throughout the afternoon in adjoining classrooms where attendees can take a deeper dive into electrification topics and hear from local experts and fellow Islanders who have experience with these topics.
Breakout sessions:
- Getting Started on Electrification (with Mike Kelly and Brian Stewart) – 1:15 pm
- Local Actions: The Bainbridge Island Climate Action Plan and the Roadmap for 2024 and 2025 (with Kevin Thomas and Mike Cox) – 1:15 pm
- Installing Solar Panels (with Kevin Thomas and Andy Cochrane of Power Trip Energy) – 2:15 pm
- Installing Heat Pumps (with David McCaughey and panelists) – 2:15 pm
- Purchasing an EV, Range Anxiety, and Charging (with Sanjay Bhatt and panelists) – 3:15 pm
Keynote Speaker Brian Stewart will present: Go Electric! The Benefits of Home Electrification
Brian Stewart is a co-founder of Electrify Now, an organization devoted to educating energy consumers and homeowners about how electrification makes our lives healthier and more comfortable and dramatically lowers carbon emissions and energy bills. By adopting clean energy and electric solutions, we can all accelerate the world to a more just and sustainable future. Brian has over 30 years of experience in product design, engineering, manufacturing and sustainability. He held many leadership roles at Nike Inc. including Vice President of Sustainable Innovation.
The Expo will also feature:
- Some 20-plus vendors who will provide information on how to take steps to electrify your home and your life (e.g., solar panels, heat pumps, electric vehicles, electric bikes, landscaping equipment and much more).
- A dozen or so dealers in EVs and E-bikes will be on hand.
- Homeowners and local organizations will discuss the practicalities of home electrification
- The expo will also include food booths and music
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