The club charges the cars overnight only once a week; solar energy provides enough power to run the carts for daily use.
Citrus Hills Golf & Country Club, Hernando, Fla., has proved golf cars can run on solar power without being plugged into electrical outlets every night.
According to Golf Course Industry, a company based in Bonita Springs, Fla. installed its thinfilm solar panels, weighing about nine pounds, and power management systems on the club’s fleet of 125 E-Z-GO golf cars earlier this year. The club charges the cars overnight only once a week; solar energy provides enough power to run the carts for daily use.
The solar systems result in substantial savings on electricity, reliability on the courses and longer battery life. Because the sun charges the batteries while the carts are on the course, stranded golf carts due to battery depletion are practically unheard of. As a result, the company warrants the batteries at Citrus Hills for four years.
The company will offer seasonal rental of solar-powered golf cars to select Southwest Florida golf clubs, allowing these clubs to manage with smaller year-round fleets by supplementing with rental cars during the busy season.
At the end of the season, clubs will have the opportunity to buy the solar-powered golf carts for their residual value, providing significant savings for the next season. The carts will include a three-year warranty for the solar kits and batteries.
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