The lawn and garden industry is adopting new technology, and it’s happening in Georgia. Tony Bass, founder and CEO of Super Lawn Technologies in Fort Valley, Georgia, found a more cost-effective, environmentally friendly and quieter way to power landscaping equipment in the work trucks he manufactures.
In response to the going green movement and high fuel prices in recent years, Bass, with the assistance of Georgia Tech’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP), developed a solution—the Mobile Solar-Powered Charging Station for box trucks—designed specifically for landscaping companies.
The GaMEP provides engineering services for hometown companies. Consulting on this project with Bass was product engineer Robert Wray of the GaMEP.
Wray states, “The solar-powered charging stations in these vehicles are comparable to that of a solar-powered home. Every day, sunlight hits the solar panels on the roof of the truck and the solar panels convert those rays into direct current (DC) electricity. This electricity then flows out of the solar panels and into an inverter, and ultimately the battery-powered lawn equipment.”
Bass says, “The mobile solar-charging stations will allow professional lawn maintenance contractors to transition from gas-powered to battery-powered lawn and garden equipment, while saving money and simplifying the refueling process.”
A gas-powered backpack blower operating for an average of 500 hours uses approximately $1,125 in fuel each year, while a battery-powered backpack blower uses just $40 of electricity for 500 hours of use.
Bass also says the system is simple, adding, “A lithium-ion battery powers a blower, weed eater or chain saw the same way your cell phone battery works. Plug in a battery charger to a 120-volt outlet, insert the battery and give it 40 to 75 minutes (depending on the size of the battery) until it’s done … the battery is fully charged and ready to go again at a fraction of the cost of using gas-powered equipment.”
Georgia Institute of Technology president, Dr. George P. Peterson, will tour the Super Lawn Technologies facility on June 18 between 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. The visit will include a tour of the Mobile Solar-Charging Station and of the Super Lawn Technologies facilities. Dr. Peterson will witness the unveiling of this innovative Solar-Charging Truck. Dr. Peterson is a mechanical engineer and holds a PhD from Texas A&M. He has been president of Georgia Tech since 2009, the same year Super Lawn Technologies started working with the GaMEP.
Bass adds: “Over the years, they helped us improve our engineering process while helping us stay on top of technology available to our industry. We are excited about Dr. Peterson’s visit to our facility.”
