Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, boasts the first off-grid, solar-powered electric vehicle charger in the Northeast

SPRINGFIELD, Vt. (

HANOVER, N.H. (WCAX) – Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, boasts the first off-grid, solar-powered electric vehicle charger in the Northeast. Standard EV chargers connected to the grid are dotted across campus, but Dartmouth was looking for even greener energy. A large solar panel with light sensors pivots throughout the day, channeling maximum sunlight directly to EVs plugged in below. Four faculty members are piloting the charger. The college installed the system back in December. The one-of-a-kind charger began taking shape a year and a half ago just down the road at Solaflect Energy in Norwich, Vermont. The Solaflect team says their innovation is inspired by the lack of EV chargers across the region, particularly in rural communities with limited grid access.