City Buildings and Vehicles Could Run on Sunlight, Say Councillors

Regina city councillors spent part of Monday evening dreaming up a city where police cars, buses and hockey arenas draw their power from the sun.The debate came in response to a motion from Coun. Mike O'Donnell, who called on city hall to study whether city-owned buildings could be fitted with solar panels.He said the price of the technology has consistently fallen in recent years. He proposed using them to take facilities off the power grid, saving the city money."Maybe, just maybe, we could actually create revenue," he added during Monday's city council meeting. His motion directs administration to study whether there could be a financial benefit to selling the power.The motion passed, giving administration until December 2019 to prepare a report.Councillors also floated the idea of using the panels to power electrified city vehicles - possibly including buses and police cars.Mayor Michael Fougere speculated that city hall itself could be a good site for the panels. He said he sees a "strong business case" for O'Donnell's idea. Based on preliminary information, he said the city could see a return on investment within 10 years.But the mayor also cautioned that the city won't be able to sell its energy to residents."It's not allowed by SaskPower," he told reporters after the meeting. "They have a monopoly on that. So when we talk in terms of generating revenue we have to be careful."City staff said that talks with the Crown corporation are ongoing, including on using solar power to run park lighting. A SaskPower spokesman confirmed that to the Leader-Post, and explained there are programs which allow the sale of excess electricity back to the grid - though not directly to customers.But Coun. Andrew Stevens wasn't convinced the city will find a helpful partner. He told council that he's discussed the matter with other municipalities, and heard many officials call SaskPower "the biggest obstacle to advancing solar energy."Jackle responded that the Crown is aiming to expand the role of solar power in the coming years, as part of a broader plan to produce 50 per cent of its power through renewable sources by 2030. Solar will still make up less than five per cent of the total, however, according to details of the plan.Stevens said the commitment leaves him "hopeful," but still skeptical about follow through."That commitment needs to be backed with money and policy, as well as support from government," he said. "Right now, it really is focussed on coal."SaskPower is planning to complete a "broad review" of self-generation programs by the end of this year, according to JackleO'Donnell said that he hopes the changes will create new revenue streams for Regina."SaskPower has a mandate to also look at alternative sources," he said. "Well here we are. We have lots of assets, lots of buildings, lots of rooftops and lots of land. We can help them solve that."In the meantime, he said the city could start by installing panels on fire halls or newer buildings like the International Trade Centre. He thinks they could generate surplus power that could then be funnelled to other city facilities with higher energy needs, like hockey arenas.O'Donnell's proposal comes shortly after . He said he wants Regina to be a "forward-looking place.""I think there's times where we get mired down in terms of the day-to-day - the potholes and so on," he said. "I understand that's on people's minds, but I think we have to look forward to technologies to solve some of the problems that we have."