Fresno Powers Municipal Fleet with Off-Grid Solar Charging Stations

FRESNO, CA – December 17, 2025 – The City of Fresno has taken a significant step toward energy independence and fleet sustainability by deploying seven off-grid electric vehicle (EV) charging systems to power its municipal vehicles. The new EV ARC™ systems, developed by San Diego-based Beam Global, are located at the city’s Municipal Service Center (MSC) Yard and operate entirely independent of the traditional electrical grid.

This move positions Fresno as a leader among municipalities seeking to electrify their fleets while bolstering energy resilience. The solar-powered stations generate and store their own electricity, providing a reliable power source for city vehicles without the cost, complexity, and time associated with construction, trenching, or connecting to the local utility.

A Strategy for Sustainability and Resilience

Fresno's adoption of off-grid charging is not an isolated decision but a key component of a broader, long-term strategy to combat local air quality issues and meet aggressive state-level environmental mandates. The city, situated in a region with significant air quality challenges, has an ambitious Climate Action Plan aimed at drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions and expanding its use of renewable energy.

This deployment directly supports compliance with California's stringent Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) Regulation, which requires many public agencies to ensure 100% of new medium and heavy-duty vehicle purchases are zero-emission by 2027. Meeting such mandates requires not only new vehicles but also a robust and reliable charging infrastructure, a challenge the new off-grid systems are designed to address. By generating clean power on-site, the city can charge its growing EV fleet without adding strain to the existing power grid or incurring high costs for grid upgrades.

The city's Public Works and General Services departments have been actively pursuing renewable energy projects, including large-scale solar installations and battery storage systems, projected to save taxpayers over $200 million in utility costs over two decades. The addition of the Beam Global systems aligns perfectly with this forward-thinking approach, enhancing the operational efficiency of its 2,600-unit municipal fleet while reinforcing its commitment to a cleaner environment.

The Advantages of Unplugging the Fleet

The core innovation of the EV ARC™ system lies in its self-contained, grid-independent design. Each unit combines solar panels for power generation with on-board battery storage, ensuring that vehicles can be charged day or night, and even during power outages—a critical feature in a state prone to Public Safety Power Shutoffs and other grid disruptions.

Compared to traditional grid-tied chargers, this off-grid approach offers several strategic advantages for fleet operators. The most significant is the speed of deployment. The systems are delivered to the site ready to operate, bypassing the lengthy and often costly process of trenching for electrical conduits, pouring concrete foundations, and navigating utility interconnection agreements. This "plug-and-play" model allows municipalities like Fresno to scale their charging capabilities rapidly in response to fleet electrification needs.

"This is another excellent example of a city taking advantage of the fastest deployed and most robust energy and charging infrastructure solution," said Desmond Wheatley, CEO of Beam Global, in a statement. He noted that the company’s products are designed for rapid and safe deployment, a key factor for public sector clients.

While off-grid solutions may not offer the same ultra-high-power charging speeds as some grid-tied DC fast chargers, their reliability and cost-efficiency present a compelling case. By generating their own power, these systems insulate the city from volatile electricity prices, peak demand charges, and future rate hikes, turning a variable operational expense into a predictable, long-term asset.

Smart Procurement Accelerates Green Innovation

The speed at which Fresno acquired and deployed these advanced charging systems was significantly aided by a streamlined government purchasing mechanism. The city procured the systems through Beam Global’s General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule Contract.

GSA Schedules are long-term, government-wide contracts that pre-vet vendors and pre-negotiate pricing, terms, and conditions. This allows federal, state, and local government agencies to purchase products and services directly, avoiding the time-consuming and complex traditional bidding process. For innovative technologies like off-grid EV charging, such contracts are critical enablers, removing bureaucratic friction and allowing public entities to adopt cutting-edge solutions more efficiently.

By leveraging the GSA contract, Fresno was able to access a trusted, pre-approved technology provider, ensuring compliance with procurement regulations while accelerating its sustainability goals. This approach serves as a model for other public agencies looking to fast-track their transition to cleaner energy and transportation infrastructure without getting bogged down in administrative hurdles.

"Our FEMA listed products are deployed rapidly and safely, and our purchasing process is fast and painless when existing contracts such as GSA or Sourcewell are leveraged," Wheatley added.

Quantifying the Environmental and Financial Returns

The deployment of these seven off-grid chargers is expected to yield tangible environmental and economic benefits for the City of Fresno. Environmentally, the impact is twofold. First, by powering EVs with 100% renewable energy, the city ensures its fleet's operations are as clean as possible, directly reducing local air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions.

Based on industry estimates for similar systems, the seven units could collectively prevent approximately 77 tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere and displace the consumption of around 7,000 gallons of fossil fuel annually. This contributes directly to Fresno's climate action goals and its efforts to improve the health of its communities.

Economically, the benefits are rooted in cost avoidance. The city will save money by not purchasing electricity from the grid to power these chargers, a significant saving in California where commercial electricity rates are among the highest in the nation. Furthermore, the city avoids the substantial upfront capital expenditure associated with grid upgrades, which can often run into the tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars per site. Over the 25-year expected lifespan of the systems, these avoided utility and infrastructure costs are projected to be substantial, providing a strong return on the initial investment and freeing up taxpayer funds for other essential services. This model of sustainable infrastructure investment underscores a shift in how cities are planning for a future that is both fiscally responsible and environmentally sound.