GRRReen, Inc. » News

Golf Industry Show sees GRRReen

Tom Stacey — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:47:43 +0000

We’re back from an amazing few days at the Golf Industry Show at the San Diego Convention Center Feb. 10 and 11.

Our booth was crowded with people wanting a look at a new Club Car golf car with a 60-amp-hour Lithium Power Pack (LPP) installed, on loan from La Jolla Country Club (thanks Jorge!).

Dozens of OEMs, dealers and distributors from across the United States and around the world stopped by to learn more about how the LPP enhances performance, increases productivity, and extends the range of golf cars and golf course maintenance equipment — in a lightweight package that’s actually more cost-effective than antiquated lead-acid batteries.

We have a winner!

Congratulations to Thomas Streiff, Golf Superintendent at Forest Hills Country Club in Middletown, Ohio, the lucky winner of our Golf Industry Show giveaway — a deluxe GRRReen-branded backpack, and a bottle of The Prisoner 2007 Napa Valley Red from Orin Swift Cellars.

Salut!

Video: Golf carts running on lithium ion batteries

Tom Stacey — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 01:00:24 +0000

We installed the Lithium Power Pack in a pair of EZGO golf cars at Encinitas Ranch Country Club recently. Here’s a little test run in the parking lot — you’ll see that the cart equipped with GRRReen’s 60-amp-hour LPP is a little quicker off the line than the one with the 40-amp-hour LPP.

In either size, the LPP:

Requires zero maintenance
Weighs about one-fifth of conventional lead-acid batteries
Charges in half the time (and use half the electricity)
Goes farther on every charge (36 holes or more)
Lasts for more than 2,000 cycles

Greens mowers go farther with Lithium Power Pack

mcinvale — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:36:52 +0000

What if you could put lithium ion batteries in your electric mower?

That’s what we did for Encinitas Ranch Country — and the results have been very positive. See what Golf Superintendent Kent Graff has to say.

How reliable are your power systems?

Tom Stacey — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:42:50 +0000

A recent cartoon from Henry Payne at the Detroit News. That guy must not have been using lithium-ion batteries!

Send Washington a message!

Tom Stacey — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 22:43:39 +0000

The Detroit car-makers have dragged their feet for decades to avoid producing cars that are more fuel-efficient. Today they are finally moving in that direction in the face of soaring oil prices and public demand.

Meanwhile, truly innovative small companies are scrambling to bring new solutions to fleets and everyday motorists — and they’re up against a legacy of outworn policies and a well-entrenched army of lobbyists.

The good news is that Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT), along with a bipartisan group of senators, have been able to secure support for plug-in technology in the stimulus bill that is now working its way to President Obama’s desk.

This is a positive step forward for the economy, the environment and our national security — and we want to keep the momentum moving forward.

What can you do to help?

Wouldn’t it be great if you could quickly alert all of your elected officials in Washington to urge them to support the adoption of plug-in hybrid technology?

You can! Plug In America has developed an extremely quick and easy way to send an e-mail to your representatives in the House and Senate, as well as members of the Congressional committee considering the issue of tax credits for plug-in hybrid technology.

Go to PlugInAmerica.org to send a message to Washington. It takes about 30 seconds, and you’ll help the economy, the environment and our national security.

Action alert: We could use your help

Tom Stacey — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:17:23 +0000

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is meeting this week, and it may enact strict new regulations on California companies that provide plug-in hybrid technology, as detailed in this excellent article by Robert Gammon of the East Basy Express.

Why would an agency that purports to be concerned about our air quality want to make it more difficult, if not impossibly impractical to implement a promising new approach that will reduce air poluution, save money and reduce our reliance on foreign oil?

As Gammon explains, it has to do with the catalytic converter, and concerns about gasoline vapors that are released during a high-pollution event known as a cold start. There’s a simple fix — you just program the car’s hybrid software to turn the engine on at ignition (even though you’ll be powered by the electric battery up to 30 MPH or so), so that it warms the catalytic converter and avoids the offending cold-start belch of vapor.

As Gammon, concludes, this is not the time to squelch innovation by putting an onerous load upon startups:

Clearly, the board’s proposed regulations on plug-in hybrids are not in keeping with last month’s vote, nor will they help California maintain its leadership role in combating greenhouse gases. It also makes no sense to snuff out the efforts of green entrepreneurs before they’ve even had a chance to grow.

If you agree, let CARB know! They are taking comments on this matter before they meet Thursday and Friday. Go here and tell them you do not agree with these proposed regulations.

Here’s some sample language:

Please look at the big picture and consider the negative consequences that will ensue should you require expensive emissions testing of every plug-in hybrid model. Now is the time to spur innovation, and encourage the adoption of cleaner technologies. I urge you to work with small firms who are bringing more fuel-efficient automotive technologies to the market, rather than making it much more difficult for them.

Thanks for your help!