Gardening teams working for a social housing provider are keeping their tools running using solar energy.
Flagship has equipped 14 vans, with plans for six more, with solar panels and power packs.
These vans serve a unique role by powering the mobile charging system for the social housing gardening teams.
The initiative allows Flagship’s 40 gardeners across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire to start work directly from home without needing to return to the depot for tool charging.
Ryan Cox, neighbourhood operations manager at Flagship’s housing association, Samphire Homes, said: “This new system is saving each gardener one and a half hours in travel time each day.”
Each van is fitted with two 100w solar panels, which charge a power bank while the gardeners are out and about.
The upgrade has cost about £18,500, which Mr Cox said would pay for itself through savings on power, petrol and working hours.
Mr Cox said: “Solar charging is taking that one step further. We’re basically running our gardening service off sunshine now.”
Comments are closed.