City of Woonsocket to Explore Turning Parking Lots into Renewable Green Energy Source

March 2, 2020

Contact: Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt
lbaldellihunt@woonsocketri.org: 401-767-9205

City of Woonsocket to Explore Turning Parking Lots into Renewable Green Energy Source

WOONSOCKET, R.I.: Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt announced today that the City of Woonsocket intends to issue an RFQ to explore the possibility of covering City owned parking lots with solar panel canopies. These solar canopies are elevated above ground so that cars can park in the shade beneath them while the solar panels on top of the canopies generate clean, low cost, renewable energy. The solar canopies have a further benefit of keeping the cars beneath them cooler during summer months which helps to decrease car air conditioner usage and increase fuel mileage.

Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt exclaimed, “The City owns a lot of parking lot pavement and if we can convert some of that pavement into something that can generate clean, renewable energy which will reduce our energy costs and will make our parking lots look better aesthetically that will be a big win for City residents and the environment.”

The Mayor added, “This can be an innovative way to supplement our continuing City initiatives to “go-green” that have included upgrading the energy efficiency of our City buildings, thermostats and heating and air conditioning units and working with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management to investigate putting solar farms on Brownfield sites within the City.” Public Works Director Steven D’Agostino stated, “We have been looking at solar panel canopies over our parking lots for several years but the cost of doing so was too high. Prices have come down and the canopies may be a good, cost effective way for expanding our commitment to green energy.”

-30-