ND1026112

Title: Oregon Gas Station Goes for ?Net Zero?

Description: The Chevron location has been called ?the most sustainable station in America.?

Page Content:

BEAVERTON, Ore. ? A new Chevron gasoline station with an Extra Mile convenience store has taken going green to a new level. The station, located in Beaverton, Ore., boasts a small power plant that consumes all the electricity produced, thus achieving ?net zero? in energy efficiency, the Beaverton News reports.

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Denny Doyle, the city?s mayor, said the business is ?the most sustainable station in America? ? a label owner Bob Barman proudly wears. ?Can you imagine how much energy our country would save if every business went to net zero?" he said, adding that he would love it if other gas stations modeled his business.

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The station and convenience store are powered by more than 180 solar panels resting on the fueling canopy and store rooftop, absorbing enough sunlight to power a third of a typical gasoline station?s electricity consumption. Also, the station utilizes a geothermal well that exchanges heat through groundwater to naturally cool water for the store?s refrigeration cases. In addition, water pipes store heat from cooling units underground for hot water usage.

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That, coupled with LED fixtures throughout the store, allows the station to consume a third less of electricity than typical, 24-hour stores. The system works so efficiently that Portland General Electric has given Barman a credit for returning electricity to the grid.

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Barman, along with his wife, leased the station for years before buying it in 2009. In 2011, they tore down the old structure to rebuild to the tune of $2 million. ?Everything we did we looked at to keep recurring costs down,? he said.

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Jeff Lenard, NACS spokesman, said customers might be attracted to the station?s energy efficiency. ?You want to give someone just about any reason possible to go to your store,? he said.

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Content Subject: Green, Petroleum Retailing

Formatted Article Date: October 26, 2011

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