Sunlight: Not Just for Drying Clothes

Filed in archive Solar on August 3, 2006

What has 153 washers, 148 dryers, 15 flat-screen TVs, and 36 10X4 solar panels? The World's Largest Laundromat of course! But the fact that this laundromat, owned by Tom Benson of Berwyn, Illinois is the largest is not his claim to fame. It is the fact that this laundromat is the only one that uses solar power that makes it popular among renewable energy proponents.

His 36 solar panels heat the water that is used for laundry. It cost Tom Benson a hefty $150 thousand to set-up and install the hot water system and prove that sun power can be used for practical (laundry) applications.

His investment has paid off, according to Benson. Aside from savings on energy bills, maintenance costs, and other direct expenses, the interest his solar powered laundromat generated is enough for business to be sustainable.

This laundromat is a good example of a little innovativeness in energy sourcing meshing well with a business idea. If you know of any mom-and-pop shops doing something similar, send me an email okay?