Leading lubricant brand Castrol has reached a new level of sustainability by launching a solar-powered solution for vehicle servicing.
The company, which also makes commercial vehicle oil and passenger car engine oil, partnered with the owner of a workshop in Northcliff, South Africa to establish the first Castrol Auto Service, which benefits from the installation of solar photovoltaic panels to reduce the reliance on grid electricity. This is particularly important for continuous operations in South Africa because of the ongoing energy crisis in the country, which has caused blackouts that can often last hours.
Castrol’s Sales Director in the country, Melanie Van Straaten, said about the new service:
“Castrol provides strategic expertise to empower IWS partners to successfully navigate a constantly changing economy. As we embark on a journey to establish a series of branded solar installations across the nation, our mission is clear: to guarantee uninterrupted business operations for Castrol’s Auto Service workshops during power outages and loadshedding.”
The first Castrol Auto Service’s owner, Peter Evgeniou, said the solar setup was extremely useful for making sure that the workshop’s operations can continue to run smoothly even during loadshedding. He said it also helped reduce his business’s energy bills, demonstrating that owners can benefit financially while reducing their impact on the environment. While the issues that have plagued South Africa’s energy system make the idea particularly useful, it’s likely that Castrol partners in the UK could also benefit from the lower utility bills that come with the addition of solar panels to their workshops.
