The roar of lawn mowers in your neighborhood may soon be a lot quieter
For a long time, lawn equipment has been loud and polluting. But new technology would make them quieter and cleaner.
Super Lawn Technologies in Fort Valley recently unveiled a mobile solar charging station truck. The vehicle allows lawn crews to recharge battery-powered lawn equipment while on the go. Right now, two lawn companies are beta testing the product, and the company is looking for more to participate.
“One of the hindrances of changing landscape contractors from gas-powered equipment to battery-powered equipment is the ability to charge on the go,” Tony Bass, CEO of Super Lawn Technologies, said during an unveiling of the equipment June 18.
Solar panels on top of the landscaper’s truck are used to gather energy from the sun and transfer that energy into a complex on-board battery storage system. Still, the battery bank on the truck needs to be charged nightly using a 120-volt household receptacle.
This battery-powered equipment will allow lawn companies to operate more cost-effectively and in an eco-friendly manner.
“They can actually replace gas-powered equipment with battery-powered equipment which operates at a fraction of the cost and about half of the noise level,” Bass said. “This transition from gas powered equipment to battery-powered equipment … is lowering carbon dioxide emissions by a factor of 18.”
The Georgia Institute of Technology helped Super Lawn Technologies with the development of the truck through the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a program of Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute. The program connects manufacturing companies across the state with resources and technology they need.
“It’s a really robust partnership now that not only improves the design of the trucks but helps improve the operation and manufacturing process,” Georgia Tech President G.P. “Bud” Peterson said during the event.
It is not clear how long it will take for battery-powered equipment to be widespread, but Bass said fuel station operators should be prepared to see a decrease in gas sales.
“I would encourage them to put in high-speed charging stations as part of their fuel service solution,” Bass said.
Attempts to reach a Middle Georgia oil company this week were unsuccessful.
One of the beta testers, Turf Masters Lawn Care Inc. located in Pascagoula, Mississippi, is looking to expand its fleet of trucks to include more mobile solar charging station trucks.
“I see us converting more and more of our trucks to solar trucks,” Turf Masters President Steve Jordan said. “The torque and power that has been developed is equivalent to what we’ve been using. It may take a few years for the rest of the industry to buy into this. There’s some skeptics, my team leaders were.”
Lawn companies interested in participating as a beta tester with Super Lawn Technologies must meet a list of requirements which includes being an established company for at least three years and being willing to participate in case studies. For more information about applying to become a beta tester visit solarlawntruck.com or call 478-822-9704.
This story was originally published June 22, 2018 at 4:38 PM with the headline "The roar of lawn mowers in your neighborhood may soon be a lot quieter."