RV Sales Affected by Eco-Technology
One of the first things people think of when they imagine a green RV is solar panels. Solar panels are becoming more common on both RVs and homes. Technology harnessing the earth’s energy is nothing new, but making it affordable is. Solar panels have seen relatively low sales in comparison to the interest in them because of cost.
Within the next few years, solar panels hitting the market may take a significant drop in price thanks to UQAM researcher, Professor Benot Marsan. After twenty years of costly technology, a new panel is about to revolutionize the solar panel industry.
Traditional solar panels are made with platinum, which is a costly material. This is one reason, even with increased demand that prices haven’t dropped significantly since solar panels were introduced. The other issue, reports Ben Coxworth in his article Breakthrough in Low Cost Efficient Solar Cells, is problems with passage of light through the dark coating.
With technology moving forward at a fast clip, even the dark coating of solar panels is being upgraded to a new liquid/gel that will be more durable the older darker version. What does this mean for consumers? It means they will have access to making their vehicle green for a cost that’s easy on the pocket book.
The solar panels aren’t available to consumers, yet. Being able to offer eco-friendly accessories for RVs is only going to increase RV sales. While lightweight trailers and pop-ups have been appealing to the younger, greener generation, so are ways to maintain an environmentally friendly trailer.
The RV industry doesn’t generally have a reputation for being super environmentally friendly. However, new companies are working on lighter and more aerodynamically designed vehicles. Yet the interiors are as important as the exteriors. Changing a light bulb from the ‘cheap’ ones to LED lights will add up in savings over time. In fact, fixtures have been created specifically for RVs to help RV enthusiasts convert.
If you want to go a step further than lighting, consider biodiesel. Biodiesel is essentially vegetable oil that can be picked up from any restaurant with a fryer. How does this help you? Biodiesel kits convert diesel engines so they can run off oil. RV owners can convert their vehicles with handy DIY kits, or the local garage can help you out. Once you’re set up, be sure you keep a little diesel on hand to get the engine going, but after that, it’s a simple switch that will start using biodiesel.
RV sales are staying strong, not only because RVing is a way of life that has been incorporated into American living, but also because RVing is taking note of what their customers want and they want green.
Want to find out more about RVs, then visit Beaudry RV Company’s site on how to choose the best Motorhome for your needs.