Now here’s something truly optimistic for our blog’s visitors: a solar powered car-wash has recently opened in the US city of Stamford, Connecticut. Its owner, Mr. Gregg Mercede admits that he wanted to invest his money in something durable and eco-friendly, while still ensuring a great quality of his services.
The facility has 18 thermal panels and 24 photovoltaic panels installed on its roof to provide heated water for the cars’ cleaning process.
The electricity produced by the photovoltaic panels is used for lighting, heating, air-conditioning and car-washing equipment. But they can only provide half of the facility’s needs: the other half is filled from the usual sources. What happens if the sun doesn’t shine in some days? No need to worry, an 820 gallon tank keeps a reserve of warm water.
Still, this is a good investment for the business, since by consuming less energy, he gets to offer his customers prices they can afford: for example, $8.5 if they look for a simple exterior wash or $49.95 if they wish a complete package that includes manual interior vacuuming, intricate waxing and carpet shampooing. Even though the car wash is the only one in that particular area, having good prices is still important.
Being the general contractor for its construction, Mr. Mercede has put a lot of heart and soul into this project, especially since solar-powered car washes are not something people come across every day.
Apparently, Mr. Mercede has set the trend for more solar-powered car washes in Maryland, according to owner of Skyline Innovations Mike Healy, a company that specializes in roof-top renewable energy projects. A car wash thus becomes a perfect putting the solar energy into practice.
[via StamfordAdvocate]
