As Ontario eyes Crown land for renewable energy, parking lots seen as having 'untapped potential'
CBC
Ontario recently announced it would be looking to the north for new energy projects, specifically mentioning incentives to "unlock" Crown lands for renewable energy involving wind, solar and biomass.
This comes as the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) says demand is increasing faster than previously anticipated and is set to grow by 75 per cent leading up to 2050.
Ontario's plan to meet that demand relies heavily on electricity from nuclear and hydroelectric sources, but solar and wind are expected to play a role as well.
Currently, about one per cent of Ontario's electricity supply comes from solar power, according to the IESO.
That could change in years to come as industrial, commercial and residential consumers participate in the grid via technologies like solar photovoltaic panels.
Atul Sharma, a renewable energy consultant for Algoma Energy Solutions in Sault Ste. Marie, said parking lots would be preferable to Crown land for solar energy projects.
"There's a lot of space and no shade around," he said.
"We can also tilt the panels southwards with no obstacles."
He added the angling of the panel to maximize sunlight tends to be a challenge when installing them on fixed residential roofs.
According to Sharma, panels on carports in parking lots also help provide shade for cars during heat waves and are sufficiently tilted to avoid snow accumulation.
He said one of the reasons this isn't widespread practice is the initial cost of building a carport over a parking lot to install the panels.
"It's a big initial investment," he said.
"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.
"But it is worth it because it would produce enough power to supply the shopping malls and the Walmarts," he said.
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