Solar powered food carts to be rolled out in New York City
New York City (photo on Flickr) by "Aurelien Guichard", licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
New York's (USA) iconic food carts could soon be getting an eco-friendly revamp, with the creation of a new low-emission cart. A pilot programme run through a partnership between the city and manufacturer MOVE Systems will see 500 environmentally friendly carts trialled across the city. The manufacturer predicts that the new carts will cut CO2 emissions by 60 percent and lower NOx emissions by 95 percent in comparison to traditional carts.
Named MRV100, the new carts include solar panels, a rechargeable battery, a heavy duty fuel tank for compressed natural gas, and a hybrid generator system. “Our solar, natural gas, and battery powered electrical system, engineered specifically for mobile food vending, reduces generator noise by half and decreases climate change emissions by two-thirds. This hybrid system is not only cleaner and quieter, it is also more powerful and reliable," said a spokesperson for MOVE Systems, speaking to TreeHugger magazine.
The first 500 vendors that sign up to the pilot programme will be supplied with a cart free of cost. The price of the carts is not covered by the city, but through donations and private partnerships. Around 8,000 carts are currently in operation in New York, many of which use propane tankards that contribute to local air pollution.
For more information, visit TreeHugger.com.