Plugging into the future: PowerParking

Parking lots of concrete or asphalt are a customer necessity, but do very little to add revenue to a business—unless the business adopts the concept of PowerParking. The Solar Cloth Company Ltd., Cambridge, U.K., will use its expertise with flexible solar technology to develop a parking lot that shades vehicles, generates electricity, runs everything from electric car chargers to security cameras and enhances the look of the most mundane space. Fabric shades can be branded to generate further revenue from advertising sales or even produce surplus green power that can be sold.

Features of the canopy fabric include wind resistance up to 150 miles per hour, snow loading to 12 inches, solar cell bonding guaranteed for five years and resistance to color fading. The solar cells are waterproof, guaranteed for 20 years and can generate 60 watts per square meter of fabric. Modular and custom designs for office parks, shopping centers or municipal lots dress up the facility, while optional features can add to the convenience and safety of customers. These include electric car charging stations, LED lighting, CCTV mounting plates, Wi-Fi and audiovisual systems and rainwater harvesting systems.