If solar panels on parking lots were a paying proposition, parking lot owners would be doing it already. Free standing solar panels are a proven money-loser as is, so the added cost of a structure to elevate them over a parking lot is just more destroyed capital. But in the People’s Republic of France, considerations like profit margin are either an irrelevant consideration or downright evil. Sounds a lot like Canada.
“Legislation approved by the French Senate this week requires existing and new car parks with space for at least 80 vehicles to be covered by solar panels. The owners of car parks with between 80 and 400 spaces have five years to comply with the measures, while operators of those with more than 400 will have just three years. At least half of the area of the larger sites must be covered by solar panels.”
Is the goal to generate electricity or to further increase the cost of car ownership?
“Politicians had originally applied the bill to car parks larger than 2,500 sq metres before deciding to opt for car parking spaces.”
Car park operators will have to increase their rates to cover the added cost of solar panels. But they can avoid the expense of solar panels by reducing the number of cars they allow to park. Either way, car ownership becomes more difficult.
(Can they subdivide a 420 space parking lot into six 70 space lots?)
I predict parking is going to become scarcer.
I don’t know about France but here the outdoor parking is just reserving the land while the developers go through city hall’s planning and delay processes. So figure on about a 5 year life for the solar panels before they’ll be ripped out for what the developer planned. Oh, making the “vacant land” an interim parking lot is a city hall requirement; but it does appear city hall’s too embarrassed to let the delay go longer than 5 years.
Our local “Science Centre” has installed solar panels over the parking lot. Must admit it’s nice to be able to park in the shade while taking the grandbrats for an excursion.
While those panels generate massive amounts of heat from the sun. Amazing how human minds seem to be unable to see the obvious.
In the shade they produce, the car stayed much cooler than it would have out in the sun.
Gonna be a lot of 79 space parking lots soon….
And I suppose an owner could lease portions of what could be a 400 space lot, into 5 79 space parking lots.
Every parking lot in the bankrupt BART system is covered in solar panels on ridiculously over engineered “carport structures” … however … since BART hates cars … they were charging $105/mo. to park under the shade structures. Then … COVID happened and BART lost 90% of its ridership. Those parking lots stand empty now. But the solar eyesores are still standing.
Maybe France thinks Electricity Prices are going to stay outrageous?
Aren’t they up 4X-5X times over the old pre-2020 rates?
Do the rules apply to parking lots that are shaded for most of the day?
Idiots are still in control of the idiots.
The solar panels will have two useful functions – keeping the cars cooler in summertime and protecting them from birdshit.
Wait won’t that upset the diversity crowd who like to set cars on fire for sport and exercise? Imagine the rare earth minerals oozing out of those panels if the chosen set them on fire?
Parking is already enough of a pain but why not make it worse.. Obviously no laws will ever exist on how well the panels will work.. So, slap up the cheapest crap possible and pass the cost on to the drivers..
Saving the world is fun..
You cant force people, companies into energy production without setting a baseline of the energy produced.. Its a interesting development that will end up putting the breaks on green energy.. As I said, fine, fine I will slap it up and then treat it like a expensive roof.. Lets pass laws on how much my scht stinks??.. Lets do that..
Alpine ski resorts will require additional imports to clear the panels. Ski lifts should be solar powered. Off piste anyone or pissed off ?
Last I saw, they were paying 800 Euro for a MWh in France (two weeks ago). That translates to 0.8 Euro per kWh, or just under C$1.
I pay C$0.14/kWh on peak, less off peak in Toronto. I’m pretty sure that if electricity prices were that high, parking lot owners in Toronto would be anxious to cover a portion of their lots.