The owner of P.E.I.’s only drive-in theatre believes his might soon be the first in the country — or the world — to be powered by solar energy.
Work is wrapping up on the installation of solar panels at the Brackley Drive-In Theatre.
Bob Boyle, owner and operator of the theatre said once that’s complete, they’ll need to be hooked up to the Island’s power grid by Maritime Electric. And then, as far as he can tell, the Brackley Drive-In Theatre could be one of the first in the world run by solar panels.
“I can’t find any other reference to it,” said Boyle. “There are indoor theatres that have solar panels on the rooftop of their theatres. But I’ve searched high and low to see if there was any other drive-in. I know in Canada there is none. And from what I can find, there’s nothing else in the world that is a drive-in, that is solar powered.”
The Brackley Drive-In Theatre isn’t yet being powered by solar energy — Boyle expects his new solar panels to be connected by Maritime Electric in the next month or so. (Shane Hennessey/CBC)
A way to manage costs
For Boyle, the decision to switch to solar power wasn’t just about bragging rights. It came after watching his electricity bills soar in recent years. That, combined with several years of diminished theatre attendance due to COVID-19, left Boyle and his wife searching for ways to manage costs at the drive-in.
“We need to look at this in order to make the business financially sustainable for years to come,” said Boyle.
“So we were very fortunate that ACOA came out with a tourism recovery package, the tourism relief fund, which would cover up to 50 per cent of eligible expenses. Without that funding, this project would not be able to go forward.”
He said solar panels are also being installed at the family’s motel — the Brackley Country Inn — with a total project cost of $110,000.
Boyle believes that with added rebates, more tourism operators would be able to make the switch to solar power. (Shane Hennessey/CBC)
He said it’s been a lot of work, but he’ll be proud to increase the financial and environmental sustainability of his businesses. And he’s hoping it inspires other tourism operators to consider solar as well.
“I know it’s important for P.E.I. and for us as a province to be net-zero,” said Boyle.
“And I thought that we can be a leader or a trailblazer too, to try and highlight that for tourism, that if a 60-year-old drive-in that mostly operates at night can go solar or work on solar, maybe their business can too.”
‘The right incentives’
Boyle said in order for more smaller operators to consider …….