The world’s first solar farm to power a railway line
directly plugged into the track near Aldershot, paving the way for
solar-powered trains. A solar array in Aldershot, Hampshire, UK is creating
waves as the world’s first fully solar-powered railway line.
The researchers began work on the plans over two years
ago to discover whether bypassing the electricity grid could make solar power a
more efficient energy source for trains. People travelling by rail between
London, Waterloo and Weymouth will get the benefit of the Network Rail’s pilot
scheme.
From Friday, about 100 solar panels at the trackside
site will supply renewable electricity to power the signalling and lights on
Network Rail’s Wessex route. The solar breakthrough aligns with Network Rail’s
plans to spend billions of pounds electrifying rail lines, which could cut
costs of running trains on diesel. The 30kW pilot scheme could pave the way for
a larger project capable of directly powering the trains that use this route
from next year. The development would also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
air pollution, and costs for Network Rail.
The Aldershot project would bypass the electricity
grid entirely to plug directly into the railway’s traction system. Meanwhile,
Network Rail hopes to use the scheme, developed by Imperial College, London and
the charity 10:10 Climate Action to solar charge its rail lines across the
country. Solar panels are already used to power the operations of train
stations, including Blackfriars in central London. But the Aldershot project is
the first time a solar array will bypass the electricity grid to plug directly
into a railway’s “traction” system.
In the context, Stuart Kistruck, director for Network
Rail’s Wessex route said that they were being ambitious with the technology and
want to roll it out further across the network if the pilot project proves to
be successful. This would help them construct and retrofit a greener and better
railway for the wider public.
It is pertinent to mention here that Innovate UK
awarded the project funding from the Department of Transport after it proved
that connecting solar power directly to rail, tube and tram networks could help
meet a significant share of their electricity needs.
The research team working behind the project, called
Riding Sunbeams, has estimated that solar power could be used in around 20% of
the Merseyrail network in Liverpool, and 15% of commuter routes in Kent,
Sussex, and Wessex.
In fact, by the end of 2020, the group’s director Leo
Murray expressed hopes to build and connect the world’s first-ever full-scale
community and commuter owned solar farms to power UK’s railways.
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