GM Dealerships Go Renewable for Cost Advantage

The first of what may become hundreds of car dealerships in California, has installed solar panels and micro turbines to provide all of the dealership’s power needs.

SAN FERNANDO CITY, California, US, 2001-11-20 [SolarAccess.com] The new Rydell Chevrolet-Buick-Pontiac-GM dealership in San Fernando is part of an initial five dealership installation program under the Community Clean Air partnership between General Motors and the South Coast Air Quality Management District. The solar power system is funded jointly by General Motors, BP Solar, the California Energy Commission and the Rydell Automotive Group, and will save 18,000 kWh of electricity each year. In addition to the PV panels, two 60 kW Capstone systems will save 15 percent of energy costs. Certified as ultra-low emission, these onsite generation systems will supply 500,000 kWh of electricity annually to each dealership. Operating at full power, the micro-turbines will supply almost all the electricity needs and can temporarily dis-connect from the state’s power grid if the need arises “California is an important market for GM, so we are very pleased that we can do our part to simultaneously help improve California air quality, support the California economy and reduce demand on the California power grid,” says Dennis Minano of GM. “That California GM dealerships can do all this, while saving money on their utility bills, certainly doesn’t hurt.” “Following these inaugural installations, it is our hope that more of the nearly 1,000 GM dealerships in California will embrace this cost-saving environmental initiative,” adds Capstone vice president Mike Tingus. The units have only one moving assembly and use no oil, lubricants or coolants, and can serve as a primary power source and conserve grid power during peak demand periods.