As Ontario seeks to “unlock” Crown land for new renewable energy projects, one northern Ontario firm is suggesting a closer, more practical solution—solar panels on parking lots.
Atul Sharma, a consultant for Sault Ste. Marie-based Algoma Energy Solutions, told CBC News that solar panels aren’t often added to car parks because of the high initial investment.
“First we have to build the structure, and that comes with a lot of labour costs, then we have to cover the whole parking lot,” he said. “But it’s worth it, because it would produce enough power to supply the shopping malls and the Walmarts.”
He added that parking lots have unique advantages for solar installations.
“There’s a lot of space and no shade around,” he said. “We can also tilt the panels southwards with no obstacles,” a significant advantage over rooftops that may have obstructions.
The panels also provide shade for parked vehicles and people. And their location close to buildings makes power transmission more efficient compared to more remote projects.
Sharma was commenting in response to Ontario’s recent long-term energy procurement plan, the province’s largest such initiative to date. The government aims to add 5,000 megawatts of new electrical generating capacity by 2050 to meet a projected 60% rise in demand. The plan includes efforts to site new renewable energy projects where communities consent.
To abide by this caveat, the government says it will introduce incentives for projects in northern Ontario “with a plan to unlock Crown Lands for renewable energy.”
But Sharma said building on Crown land misses some of the co-benefits of building over parking lots. Other organizations are calling for a similar approach, including the Ontario Clean Air Alliance, which advocates for solar panels over parking lots in Toronto.
While the Clean Air Alliance has not calculated the costs, it says the energy generated could replace electricity from gas plants like the Portlands Energy Centre.
Putting solar panels over parking lots would be “good for everyone in Ontario except for gas companies,” said Alliance chair Jack Gibbons. “There’s a lot of untapped potential in parking lots.”
