Moving company erects wind turbine to supplement power supply

By: TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® | 11 Shares 378 Reads

September 26, 2007 // Franchising.com // Lansing - Staff, members of the community and local students gathered Thursday morning to watch as TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®/INTERNATIONAL, Inc. made an active move for the environment by erecting a new 123' wind turbine. The turbine has blades that span 23' in diameter and a base that weighs 200,000 lbs.

The new turbine is part of a $230,000 solar/wind turbine system installed to provide backup power for the franchise headquarters in Lansing. Accompanying solar panels have been in place for about a month.

When investigating backup power sources, the company weighed the pros and cons of an alternative energy system to a backup generator. And the solar/wind system quickly became a clear winner. While a backup generator would consume 22 gallons of diesel fuel per hour and only provide energy during a power outage, the solar/wind system would produce 10,000 KW of to be stored in battery banks with excess being sold to the local utility company. Additionally, federal government offers a tax incentive for the solar/wind system.

"Being the "Movers Who Care®" applies to all aspects of our company and its influences on society" stated TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® president Brig Sorber. " We are committed to our customers, our community and our environment alike. Investing in alternative energy is another way to live our core values and give back to the community."

The alternative energy system also provides the company with an opportunity to help schools. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® will be giving free access to local teachers and students to an online software program that analyzes the activity of the wind turbine and photo-voltaic (solar panel) system generated by the hybrid system.

The new solar/wind system is one of a variety of green initiatives implemented at the company's headquarters this year.

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the largest franchised moving company in North America. It includes more than 195 locations worldwide with more than 1,300 trucks on the road. Each location is independently owned and operated, and completes both home and business moves as well as packing and unpacking services. For more information, go to www.twomen.com.

Solar / Wind Turbine Fact Sheet

* TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®/INTERNATIONAL, Inc. installed a solar/wind hybrid system with battery backup.
* The components include 3 solar panels and a wind turbine and a wall of battery storage units.
* A battery bank collects energy harnessed by both the wind turbine and a photo-voltaic system, more commonly known as a solar panel system.
* The system can produce 10,000 KW of energy which is stored in the battery banks. Once batteries are fully charged, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® has an interconnect agreement with the Lansing Board of Water and Light where TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® will sell the excess energy.
* The energy from this system will primarily be used as back up in case of power failure
* The wind turbine is 123 feet high.
* Total span of the blades is 23 feet.
* The wind turbine tower weighs 24,000 pounds.
* Total cost of the project is $230,000.
* Payback is 15 years.
* TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® decided on a wind turbine over a back up generator because back up generator only pays back when we don't have power and burns 22 gallons of diesel fuel per hour when in use.
* TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® will receive $30,000 tax break from federal government with the purchase and installation of photo-voltaic system.
* TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® has purchased a software program to analyze the activity of the wind turbine and photo-voltaics system. The software is a commercial solar monitoring device. Upon activation, this will allow students to study the activity of the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® system by accessing a Web site. More information on this will be released by December 1, 2007.
* Other green initiatives being implemented by TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® are changing all light switches to motion sensor switches, shutting down one boiler during the summer, powering down computers each night, installing rain/ground moisture sensors to make more efficient use of the sprinkler system, and using Energy Star appliances.
* The system for TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® was designed and installed by Sundu Solar Energy Sales and Services.