As energy costs rise, solar makes a comeback in an unlikely place – the kitchen

One picture of Earth from space, taken in 1968, helped spark the global environmental movement and 40 years later, Ottawa chef Marc Lepine hopes a solar-powered stove in his under-construction restaurant will spark a sun-inspired movement in Ottawa.

In September, Atelier Restaurant – which will feature a 'tasting menu' of one specific 12-course meal each night – will open near Carling and Preston. Mr. Lepine, owner and head chef of the 20-seat restaurant, plans to do what many residential barbecuers dare not: to essentially cook outside at all times of year, even in the snow.

Except, of course, if the sun doesn't shine.

"On a cloudy day, we may be saying, 'Oh, we can't use this item because we can't bake it,'" said Mr. Lepine.

It wasn't all that long ago that conventional electricity, often generated through hydro or nuclear power, was pegged as clean and cheap. But with the rise of electricity prices and the recent 'green' movement, some businesses are taking themselves off the grid where they can.

Still, the kitchen remains undiscovered territory in this movement, said Mr. Lepine. So by taking one of the main consumers of restaurant electricity – the stove – he hopes to cut his energy usage significantly.

"We're trying to redefine the kitchen setup. It is outdated and not energy-efficient," he said.

The stove – called a Global Sun Oven – cost Mr. Lepine a mere $300. It has fold-out solar panels and is small enough to be easily wheeled in and out of the backyard of his restaurant property.

Still, the setup would be difficult for a larger restaurant that serves a more diverse menu, said Diana Livshits, administrative sales and marketing co-ordinator of Ottawa's Krumpers Solar Solutions.

"From a commercial standpoint, I think it would be limiting at this time. It depends on the backup system," she said, adding technology generally becomes more efficient over time. Coupled with skyrocketing energy costs, she said, solar technology could become a more viable option for larger restaurants.

Ms. Livshits used the example of water heaters, of which solar models are now increasingly used in Ottawa. "Five years ago, domestic solar water heaters were not viable because your rate of return was incredibly low. But the price of utilities is increasing – by 33 per cent in Ottawa, and 45 per cent in Toronto. To think it will be stopping is naïve."

European residents are well-versed in the ways of evading high energy costs. It's well-documented that as a group, they use less energy per capita than Canadians.

Frederic Pouyot, president of the Solar Energy Society of Canada, grew up in the south of France and has seen restaurants there cut back their energy usage through efficient lighting and appliances.

And while Canadian restaurants face more of a challenge in reducing consumption due to the extreme cold, he added there are other ways of reducing electricity usage in the kitchen. Incidentally, the stove isn't where he'd start first.

"The biggest problem is hot water," Mr. Pouyot said. "But since all restaurants have a roof, you can install some solar water heaters. The energy from that is less than 10 cents per kilowatt, which is comparable to the cost of using natural gas."

When it comes to appliances, restaurants can save money without going completely off the grid, he said.

"Many restaurants don't look at the life cycle of appliances since (the restaurants) are often only open for a few years. In terms of the cooking, gas provides much better control than electricity.

"Normal stoves can also be retrofitted to use natural gas fuel."

Indeed, energy usage throughout the entire restaurant can decrease with other simple measures, said Ms. Livshits. Her company sells sets of window blinds that not only let in natural light, but also collect that energy to heat the house in winter or reflect it to cool the house in summer.

At $30 a square foot, she said it's an affordable option even in restaurants with very large windows. "Since windows are the weakest point in a building envelope, this is a useful way to reduce energy consumption," she said.

But Mr. Lepine's effort to cut his carbon footprint doesn't end with the stove. Just down the road from the restaurant grow healthy stands of milkweed and clover, and Mr. Lepine and his two staff make regular journeys to pick those plants.

When it comes time to buy food, Mr. Lepine said he plans to stick with local farmers and growers when he can. Call it his own version of the '100-Mile Diet.'

"We're going to get to the point where (society) won't have any other options," said Mr. Lepine of his efforts to buy food locally. "We want to showcase our kitchen to chefs in the area and show what can be done with it."

To introduce the Atelier Restaurant model on a larger scale, Mr. Pouyot said governments must recognize when restaurants want to cut down their energy usage – and give them help for doing so.

Internationally, he pointed out, it's worked quite well. Government support in Germany has led to the rise of world-class renewable energy. In Spain, it's solar energy, while parts of Australia have helped to subsidize solar water heating.

"It's not only federal policies that are useful, but municipal policies," he added. "If Ottawa gave itself the mandate to be an example, there are a lot of policies that won't break the bank."

By Elizabeth Howell

Special to the OBJ

---

BY THE NUMBERS

The cost of juice (in cents per kilowatt-hour)

Traditional power generation

Gas-fired power plants: 3.9 - 4.4

Coal-fired power plants: 4.8 – 5.5

Nuclear power plants: 11.1 – 14.5

Conventional or renewable power generation

Wind power: 4 – 6

Geothermal power plants: 4.5 – 3.0

Hydro power: 5.1 – 11.3

Solar power: 15 - 30