ChargeNet Stations, an AI driven software company creating the opportunity for quick service restaurants to offer customers a superior electric vehicle (EV) charging experience, is announcing its newest board member, Lorraine Akiba.
Akiba is a renowned environmental and energy strategist with the technical and public policy expertise to better enable innovation and business transformation. She is an attorney, the CEO of LHA Ventures, and a senior advisor specializing in environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.
Akiba, who is from Hawaii, currently chairs the governance committee of the Board of Directors of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. She also serves on the U.S. Department of Energy Low Income Financing and Transactions for Solar Access Research Advisory Council, among others, and has also been a member of the U.S. Department of Energy and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Future Utility Regulation Advisory Group.
“The transition to electric vehicles is a vital tool to lowering carbon emissions and reducing climate change,” says incoming ChargeNet Stations Board Member Lorraine Akiba. “ChargeNet Stations’ vision to make solar EV charging more convenient and accessible to everyone, including low-income communities, can make a significant difference in addressing climate impact challenges and displacing greenhouse gases,” Akiba said.
ChargeNet Stations is preparing to open its first set of fast, solar-powered EV charging stations at a South San Francisco Taco Bell®. The company enables restaurants to store renewable energy for fast EV charging and for use by restaurant franchisees who can save up to 30 percent on their energy costs. Customers who plug in get a 100-mile-plus charge in about 15 minutes, or less, for about $10, while enjoying a hot meal.
“Adding Lorraine Akiba helps us better navigate regulatory frameworks and develop actionable strategies in a constantly evolving market,” adds ChargeNet Stations co-founder and CEO Tosh Dutt. “We can make a difference when it comes to decarbonizing business operations and, together, our goal is to make the transition as convenient and effective as possible – we know the EV transformation is coming and we intend to be part of the solution,” he said.
Akiba officially joined the ChargeNet Stations Board March 14, 2022. In addition to her experience on private and non-profit boards, she is co-author of “The Emerging Potential of Microgrids in the Transition to 100% Renewable Energy Systems” and a contributing author and editor of “The Green Book: A Practical Guide to Environmental Law.”