SaskPower has introduced an energy efficiency program aimed at reducing the amount of electricity used by block heaters in parking lots.
Beginning this week, SaskPower is offering a financial incentive of $50 per stall to encourage building owners to install parking lot controllers - devices that regulate the amount of electricity delivered to an outdoor plug based on the temperature.
"Using a block heater might be a fact of life in Saskatchewan, but the higher power costs associated with operating them don't have to be," said Rob Norris, Minister responsible for SaskPower. "Installing parking lot controllers could help building owners in both rural and urban areas of the province reduce their parking lot electricity costs by up to 50 per cent, while ensuring trouble-free vehicle starts for customers, tenants and staff - even during a cold snap."
There are about 150,000 electrified parking stalls in Saskatchewan. SaskPower's goal is to have 50,000 parking lot controllers installed over the five-year program period, which would reduce the province's electricity use by about 17 Gigawatt hours per year, and greenhouse gas emissions by over 12,000 tonnes.That's equivalent to the annual amount of electricity used by about 2,000 Saskatchewan homes with similar environmental benefits as taking 3,200 vehicles off Saskatchewan roads.
"These types of energy efficiency programs are part of our plan to ensure a sustainable power supply for the province in the short, medium and long terms," said Robert Watson, SaskPower President and Chief Executive Officer. "Encouraging people to reduce their electricity use goes hand-in-hand with our work on large scale power projects."
The Parking Lot Controller Program is available to anyone who operates an electrified parking lot. There is no maximum or minimum number of stalls required to participate in the program. Controllers must be purchased through a SaskPower-qualified distributor and be installed in a Saskatchewan parking lot.More information about the program, including a list of qualified distributors, is available at saskpower.com/save_power.
