Parking facilities & electricity generation: a highly sustainable innovation!

Solar energy has been growing rapidly in recent years as the sun is one of the most efficient, economical, and sustainable sources of energy. However, are we making the most of this inexhaustible source?

Hearing solar energy, everyone’s thoughts turn to ground-mounted solar panels on some barren land far away from developed areas. This is because most photovoltaic installations are located in such remote areas because of the easier and more economical installation. Installation in urban areas, on the roofs of buildings, is more difficult and costly.

However, let us consider how many large areas on the outside of commercial or public buildings are left unused. How viable and beneficial it would be to install solar canopies on every parking lot, thus providing covered parking and generating clean energy at the same time. Both people and cars would be protected from extreme weather conditions, rain, and snow in winter, and heat waves in summer. At the same time, in addition to providing energy to the building, the shop, or the neighboring community, the solar panels would provide charging for hundreds of cars parked there. This would also address the problem of strain on the now fragile electricity grid.

The main advantage for the owner of a car park is that the addition of charging stations on the premises of a car park would bring additional profits. Why wouldn’t a property owner want to advance their parking lot with a passive revenue stream provided by electric vehicle charging? People would prefer to charge their car while at a restaurant, shopping, or working.

So why not install solar panels in all parking lots? In many developed countries, a start has been made by installing solar roofs at airports, universities, or metro stations. So, let’s make the most of the inexhaustible solar energy by introducing this highly sustainable innovation into our lives and getting one step closer to the energy transition. Because energy transition is a necessity, not an option!