Ford dealerships to go green with wind and solar

Ford is greening up some of its dealerships in the US, installing wind and solar systems to generate clean electricity to keep the lights on and power electric car charging points.

Now with a range of two plug-in hybrids and one fully electric car, the firm is exploring green electricity too, to ensure that its models are as clean as possible.

Teaming with Wind Energy Corporation, around $750,000 will be invested to install small wind turbines and 7-kilowatt solar panel systems at four dealerships; two in California, one in New York and one in Michigan.

Each of these systems is expected to generate 20,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually; enough to power two average-sized homes for a year or charge a Ford Focus Electric 870 times.

Each ‘Windy’ system will also offset the equivalent of 14 tonnes of greenhouse gases per year.

Installations of the systems are set to begin in early 2015 and be completed by the spring.

“We are pleased to be working with Wind Energy Corporation to offer a pioneering, clean energy option to Ford dealers,” said John Felice, vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service for Ford. “This is yet another innovative tool to help Ford and its dealers address a global sustainability challenge.”

In the US, Ford sells the C-Max Energi and Fusion Energi plug-in hybrids alongside the fully battery-powered Focus Electric.

While the carmaker has plans to expand its range in Europe to five electrified models (including non-plug-in hybrids) by 2015,  currently in the UK, we have just the Focus Electric available in limited numbers and a soon-to-launch Mondeo Hybrid.