Ford Motor Co. has announced it will build a solar farm to generate electricity at its hybrid electric vehicle factory in Michigan. Another smaller solar power station will power lighting at the assembly plant.
The site will add renewable solar energy to standard grid power at the plant, which will build Ford’s new Focus electric car and other future models of clean energy hybrids. A second 750 kilowatt facility will provide two million watt-hours of battery storage from the new station’s 500 kilowatt solar photovoltaic system.
The company expects that the switch to solar power will save the company USD$160,000 per year in energy costs.
Ford will partner with Detroit Edison and Xtreme Power to install the multi-million dollar plant.
Part of the plan is the construction of a number of new electric filling stations to power electric trucks used to transport parts, and to demonstrate smart-grid technology.
The solar power station will cost almost USD$6,000,000 to build. Ford will invest only a small part of the funds, with the majority of money coming from public coffers and the Detroit Edison’s SolarCurrents program. Work is expected to begin later this year.
With the car giant facing its toughest financial times in a century of manufacturing, Ford will be hoping that by ditching its more traditional gas-guzzling image, it can carve a new, greener niche in the global market. Renewable energy powering emissions-free cars may be the way forward for the company that revolutionised car manufacturing.
