Automechanika - Kärcher: Low-energy concept for self-service car washes

Harnessing geothermal and photovoltaic energy

The Kärcher low-energy concept for self-service car washes requires neither gas nor oil. It uses a geothermal heat pump to heat water for cleaning vehicles and provide floor heating for the wash bays.

Solar panels on the self-service car wash’s roof generate much of the power used, taking energy costs well below those of fossil fuels.

On the basis of a car wash with five bays and a machine room with a total roof area of 180 square metres, the cost of the low-energy concept is 24% lower than that of running a conventional car wash over ten years and more than 50% lower over 20 years. Dispensing entirely with oil and gas and generating on-site electricity not only cuts costs; it also eliminates 22.5 tonnes of environmentally unfriendly carbon dioxide per year, equivalent to the CO2 emissions of ten midrange cars, each with an annual mileage of 15,000 km.

Alfred Kärcher GmbH & Co. KG
Press Officer David Wickel
Alfred-Kärcher-Str. 28–40
71364 Winnenden
Germany
Tel.:     +49 7195 142 309
Fax:     +49 7195 142 193
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