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NEWS
Goldstream chases the sun
Victorian manufacturer installs solar panels on factory roof to slash power bills and reduce carbon footprintSolar panels are a familiar sight on top of many Goldstream caravans and campers, but now the rough-road specialist is taking full advantage of the sun’s energy by installing a 50-kilowatt system, consisting of 242 solar panels on the roof of its Pakenham, Victoria-based production facility.
Goldstream RV boss Shaun Noble said the new, industrial scale solar energy system currently being fitted by solar specialist Sun Connect will slash the company’s energy bill while insuring Goldstream against future electricity price hikes.
It will also go some way towards Goldstream becoming a carbon-neutral business.
“We’re planning on being up to 80 per cent self-sufficient (with the new system) and it gives us scope to look at battery systems as they become available in the future,” Noble said.
Once up and running, he expects the company’s $140,000 investment will pay off within five years. A government grant contributed around 20 per cent of the cost.
In business for 23 years, Goldstream produces many parts for its range of caravans, pop-tops and camper trailers in-house at its 3500sq.m factory and in recent years has invested in the latest CNC machinery for producing flat-pack furniture.
Meanwhile, Goldstream is also going 'green' by adopting the latest energy-efficient battery systems across its range, including the ground-breaking lead crystal batteries which it plans to fit as standard equipment across all its off-road models in 2017.
The company has also fitted a number of lithium battery systems from NSW-based Evo Lithium, which together with a 3000W inverter can add as much as $8000 to the price.
Around 10 Goldstream RVs roll off the Pakenham production line each week, with around 50 per cent the increasingly up-spec, wind-out camper trailers that compete directly with Jayco’s popular, entry-level camper range.
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Written byChris Fincham
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
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