Prince George, BC Tests Solar Parking Lot

Aug 20, 2018

The City of Prince George has installed BC’s first solar-powered parking lot, which involved installing a 20-square-metre area of solar panels in the parking lot at city hall.

“Essentially, the project is a test to see how the technology performs in northern communities with our colder, snowy conditions,” explains Simon Fandrey, 3Phase sales manager. 3Phase Power designed the project’s electrical panel, which converts the solar cells’ DC power to AC and ties into the existing electrical system. “So far everything’s working well, but it’s more about seeing how it holds up during the winter.”

The solar energy helps the city hall’s electrical system meet its energy needs and supply additional power uses, including offsetting energy used at the electric vehicle charging stations in the parking lot.
The actual area is about the size of a couple of parking stalls. Photovoltaic cells that make up the solar arrays are about a quarter-inch thick and have a gritty finish.

The installed panel is designed to produce a maximum of 22 kilowatts of energy per day. For comparison, BC Hydro says the average BC household uses about 900 kilowatts per month (approximately 30 kilowatts per day). It’s expected there will be a slight drop in energy output in the winter, but cloudy days and snow still produce light energy, though it’s diffuse rather than direct.

The project was proposed and funded by YCS Holdings Ltd., a Northern BC construction company, and Wattway, a branch of a French civil engineering firm that focuses on solar technology. Prince George’s Lakewood Electric called us in to work with them and Pittman Asphalt to implement and install the solar arrays.

“It was a good challenge for us,” says Dwayne Donaldson, senior designer with 3Phase Power, “because while [the solar arrays] have similar components, they’re made for European installations, so we had to come up with other CSA-approved and locally sourced solutions. Also, we were limited to a maximum 2000-wattage output for research reasons.

“It’s exciting to think about using ‘dead space’ around roads and buildings to offset our energy needs,” says Simon. “And as the technology becomes more common, it will become more affordable. From the concept to the design, it’s pretty cool, and we’re happy to have been part of the team.”

For more on project specifics, contact Simon Fandrey at simon.fandrey@3phasepower.ca.