F.J Chalke Eco Journey

WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH AP CHANT

We are currently loaning the 100% electric Nissan LEAF to Dorset's renewable energy company, AP Chant.

The AP Chant renewable team will be driving to and from site surveys in the completely carbon neutral vehicle and also charging it at their very own charging point outside the Core, in Bridport.

SAVING ENERGY AND RAISING THE ROOF AT FJ CHALKE NISSAN

FJ Chalke Nissan in Wincanton is the first Nissan dealership in the UK to install solar panels on the roof at its Saxon Way dealership.

The idea for the roof originated last year when the dealership reviewed its management of environmental issues and decided it could do better.

After becoming one of the first wave of Nissan dealerships to achieve electric vehicle status allowing it to sell the innovative new 100% electric LEAF, the dealership decided to take it one step further and installed a solar panelled roof.

The energy collected from the panels will be used not only to cover the general dealership usage, but will also be used to charge customers' LEAFs as well as  the four LEAFs that are used by staff to travel between the dealership's two sites.

The dealership has 95 photovoltaic roof panels (1.6 metres x 0.9 metres) which generate 17,540 units of electricity each year, thus decreasing both the dealership's carbon footprint and electricity bills

The dealership anticipates that it will save 50% on electricity costs over a year and reduce its carbon footprint by 9962kg of CO2 per year.

As one of just 26 Nissan Electric Vehicle (EV) dealerships in the country, the family run business is not only the first Nissan dealership to install a solar roof, but is also the first to use the power generated by the solar PV panels to charge the Nissan LEAF, the 2011 European Car of the Year.

Steve Fowler, Dealer Principal at F J Chalke Nissan, says: "We were incredibly excited about the launch of the new Nissan LEAF and were delighted to be one of the first few select dealerships accredited to sell the car. This prompted us to think about our carbon footprint and energy consumption.

"We built an extension to the existing showroom to accommodate the LEAF and looked into having a solar panelled roof and once we realised it was viable, we have never looked back."