Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) said it is set to open the Middle East’s first eco-friendly service station next year in an effort to improve both energy conservation and underscore its commitment to communities.

The new service station will incorporate advanced technology to contain petrol fumes released at the pump, and a variety of other state-of-the-art systems, including solar-powered lighting, a ‘waterless’ car-washing system, new waste segregation systems, and design upgrades to reduce noise pollution.

The ‘green’ service station, which will open in the first half of 2010 at Emirates Hills in Dubai, will boast of several new environmentally friendly products and services, said Saeed Abdullah Khoory, Enoc Group chief executive.

“Creating a green service station highlights our commitment to the Green Vision of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and supports the eco-friendly initiatives currently underway in Dubai,” he noted.

“As a socially responsible company, we take environmental issues seriously and with a landmark initiative such as our new eco-friendly service station, we are delighted that we can lessen environmental impact every time customers use our services. We also have ambitious plans to open more green service stations at a later stage,” Khoory added.

The new eco-friendly service station features a state of the art vapour recovery system to ensure no toxic fumes escape into the atmosphere and cause environmental and occupational health hazards.

The service station also reduces electricity consumption by using Solar Powered Pole and LED lights, with a long life span of up to 50,000 hours and low voltage safe against electrical fire hazards.

Lamps do not need to be replaced for up to 12 years. The service station will also use sensor type water taps and two stage flush system in the toilets, he said.

To support water conservation, the new service station recycles the carwash water and provides customers the option to use a waterless car wash system, which allows them to have their cars cleaned without using a single drop of water, Khoory explained.

The concept saves water and prevents detergents from polluting the environment with its new ‘No-Wet’ technique, an all-in-one eco-friendly car wash liquid. Made from all natural ingredients, the product does not contain petroleum distillates, silicone, abrasives, harmful chemicals or detergents that pollute the water, he said.

Enoc will also equip the new green service station with the latest waste management systems, including a garbage segregation system that provides colour coded bins for easier recycling. Moreover, all the furniture used will be from recycled materials, and used lubricants oil will be collected and disposed, he added.

The new green service station reduces noise, as it will incorporate a sound barrier on the compound wall to reduce any noise from car wash. The service station will also feature a centralised vacuum system to support power conservation and reduce waste and noise.

The eco-friendly products that will be available in the new green service station include the engine oils Protec Green for gasoline engines and Vulcan Green for diesel engines, Khoory noted.

Both are designed to ensure longer life span for vehicles and lower levels of greenhouse gas emission.

The green Very Low Sulfur Diesel (VLSD) will also be available at the service station. This innovative diesel contains 10 times less sulfur than the standard one, which means a cleaner engine for cars and a cleaner environment for everyone.

In addition, the new service station will only use biodegradable plastic bags, as the case with all the existing Enoc/Eppco service stations, Khoory added.-TradeArabia News Service