Innovation Fall 2024

electric grid as needed and filling up with more energy. "That way, we can use a portion of that battery capacity in parked vehicles to store electricity," Mérida said. "And that electricity can then be sent back to the grid." The solution elegantly allows for increased solar power storage during the daytime when extra capacity is needed. However, a long-standing problem with solar capacity remains: electricity demand is highest during the evening, with BC Hydro reporting peak loads between 6 and 7 p.m.

technologies have room for research and development, the Mérida Lab is working from an engineer's practical perspective of creating resilient systems that can utilize each alternative energy option's specific advantages. Managing electricity generation The SHED system begins in a parking lot, where Mérida's team sees the rapid electrification of cars as an opportunity. "Parking garages are one of the most underutilized assets anywhere in the world," said Mérida.

Thousands of parking lots contain cars whose owners work in one location from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., leaving cars stationary for upwards of eight hours. "As more and more cars become electrified, each car could carry upwards of 100 kilowatts of power on board." When electric cars drive into a parking lot, they begin charging and stay fully charged for as long as they are parked. But the cars could instead be managing power taken in by solar panels, discharging to feed power to the

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Fall 2024

Innovation