Westfalen unveils five new carbon neutral car washes in Germany

After rolling out the first of its kind in 2021, the operator has extended the technology to six car washes throughout the country.

The Westfalen Group has deployed CO2-neutral car washes at six service stations, five of them being operational since the beginning of the year. Six out of 14 car washes operated by the Münster-based family business have taken a further step towards sustainability, with the remaining locations to follow in the next two years.

All sites are operated on a 100% CO2-neutral basis achieved thanks to a concept that includes various coordinated measures. The locations have switched completely to green electricity, with one of them also relying on a photovoltaic system.

Water used at all locations is purified and reused with the help of biological water treatment; fresh water is avoided wherever possible. The car washes use only biodegradable detergents.

"The remaining unavoidable emissions, for example from heating the car washes, are offset via a climate protection project in Uganda in accordance with the international Gold Standard. This project gives people access to clean drinking water. Responsible use of water is also a key element at car washes - so the project is a very good fit for us," explains Carsten Grunau, Head of Vehicle Care at the Westfalen Group.

CO2-neutral washes are part of the Westfalen Group's sustainability strategy, apart from its implementation of alternative fuels in recent years and has been equipping its sites with more and more fast-charging stations that offer 100 percent green electricity. The current project is a further milestone in making the Mobility Division as a whole more sustainable and thus more fit for the future.