RV Sales Boosted by Environmental Innovations

One of the first things people think of when they imagine a green RV is solar panels. Solar panels are becoming more common on both RVs and homes. Technology harnessing the earth's energy is nothing new, but making it affordable is. Solar panels have seen relatively low sales in comparison to the interest in them because of cost.

While the expense of solar panels has been their biggest deterrent, solar panels are finally growing up. The reason behind the cost of solar panels is the ingredients. Platinum is not a cheap product to use and until now, no better substitute could be found. However, UQUAM has been working on it. Their new technology might see a lot more solar panels flying off the shelf.

UQUAM's Professor Benot Marsan has been working on finding a material that would be cheaper to use than platinum and he found it. Cobalt sulphide could be the perfect substitute for platinum. Not only is cheaper than platinum, it actually gives the panel a stronger stability.

Ben Coxworth's article, Breakthrough in Low Cost Efficient Solar Cells, explains the new materials being employed and how even the coating on solar panels is being updated with a new lighter liquid/gel that is more resistant to aging than traditional electrolytes.

The new solar panels can't be found at the corner store yet. But it may not be much longer. RV sales may be affected by this technology as RV dealers are always looking for ways to connect with a new range of potential customers. Solar panels show dealers are listening to the changing sentiments of American consumers.

Solar panels aren't the only things greening the RV industry. Even the simple things are having a big effect, such as LED lighting. LED lights have become popular with RV travelers because less money is spent on energy bills and they have a longer life than regular light bulbs. Manufacturers are making it easy for RV owners to replace regular light bulbs by designing fixtures that are aimed at RVs.

While still relegated to the 'hippy-style' of travel, biodiesel technologies have made it fairly simple to change over an existing diesel engine so it can run on vegetable oil. The benefit of this is RV enthusiasts can test out some great restaurants while they fill up their tank of gas. Kits are available that show RV owners how to convert their engines. The cost of the conversion kit is quickly paid back through gas savings and with the rising cost of gasoline, this is a great alternative for those on the road for long periods of time. "You'll still have to keep a wee bit of regular diesel in the car (your ride needs it to start up and flush out at the beginning and end of each drive), but once your hooked up, you simply flip a switch and your on your way to a cleaner, freer future," reports Treehugger.com

RV sales are staying strong, not only because RVing is a way of life that has been incorporated into American living, but also because RVing is taking note of what their customers want and they want green.

Learn more about RVs. Stop by Beaudry RV Company's site where you can find out all about Motorhomes and what they can do for you.