'World's largest laundromat' goes solar

updated 11:23 a.m. ET July 31, 2006

BERWYN, Ill. - One of Tom Benson's claims to fame, proclaimed in five-foot-high letters across his storefront, is that he owns the "WORLD'S LARGEST LAUNDROMAT" -- complete with 153 washers, 148 dryers and 15 flat-screen TVs.

But that's not the claim that excites advocates of renewable energy. It's that, perched atop the hangar-sized facility in this working class Chicago suburb, is one of the largest, most cost-effective solar systems in the country.

Scaling a ladder to the scorching roof one recent morning, the 61-year-old beamed with pride as he showed off the 36 10-by-4-foot panels that supply his 24-hour laundry with hot water.

Benson's boast about having the largest coin-operated laundry on Earth might be open to debate. At least one laundry in Denver claims to have a few more washers and dryers -- though Benson hastens to add that it seems to have less floor space than his.

What's not in doubt is that his $150,000 hot water system has become a darling of environmentalists and officials smitten with the promise of solar, heralded as a prime example of how sun energy is practical, simple and cost-wise.

"The World's Largest Laundromat has served as a role model," said Illinois Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, a vocal solar advocate. "It's shown that solar can work in the Midwest climate, in the heartland."

To the chagrin of such advocates, however, fewer than 5 percent of the 40,000 coin-operated laundries nationwide use solar, according to estimates from the Coin Laundry Association, which represents nearly 3,000 companies in the $5 billion industry.

Benson first converted from natural gas to solar in 2001, two years after buying the laundry. The motivation, he says unapologetically, was pure dollars and cents.

His heating bills were climbing as high as $13,000 -- the equivalent of 25 percent of his total monthly revenue.

"There was just no way I could survive if that continued," he said. "I was looking at a very dire situation."

At a meeting where laundry owners vented about energy prices, someone mentioned solar. Illinois was offering grants to pay 50 percent of the cost of solar systems; Benson applied, got the grant and had a system up within months.

His bank, to his surprise, didn't hesitate to loan him the needed money.

"When I showed the numbers to my bank, they understood immediately," he recalled. "It was like: Boom, `Here's the money. Go for it.'"

His dream of a profitable, energy-efficient laundry seemed to shatter on Aug. 29, 2004, when a spark from a dryer started an inferno that destroyed the premises.

But instead of cutting his $1.6 million in fire losses and quitting, Benson vowed to rebuild. To make the laundry more customer friendly, he fashioned a play area for kids and added an indoor aviary, featuring miniature doves.

MORE FROM AFTER OIL

After Oil Section Front

EC eyes 20% renewables target for 2020 Firm aims to make 'biocrude' from algae Solar power shines bright in Silicon Valley From foe to fuel? Texas eyes mesquite Honda announces ethanol breakthrough Ethanol output could double by 2010 Calif. utility bullish on plug-in hybrids California gives big boost to solar power Brazil boosts ethanol output as prices soar Mountains of manure to become ethanol After Oil Section Front   Add After Oil headlines to your news reader: