Underground Solar

Transport for London (TfL) has invited bids for delivery partners to install and operate purpose-built solar farms for their London underground network. 

Figure 1: London Underground. 

The Proposal 

From bike rental schemes to electric buses and vehicles, London continues to work towards reducing its carbon footprint. As part of the goal to use 100% renewable energy sources by 2030 [1], TfL have invited bids to operate solar farms to power the world-famous London Underground Network, open from 31 October 2024. 

The appointed partner will design and deliver solar developments that could bring up to 64MW for the network, approximately 5% of the power needed to operate the underground network [2].

Greener TfL

TfL’s Underground network is not the first aspect of their infrastructure to undergo changes for a greener future. Distribution network operators UK Power Networks (UKPN) had recently invested £4 million for more electric buses across London [3].

Additionally, TfL are employing LEDs at bus shelters and on trains which use up to 60 per cent less energy than traditional lighting, while achieving around a 10 per cent increase in brightness. It is estimated that more than a third of Tube stations across London have been converted to LED lighting.

TfL’s Energy Demands

TfL is the largest single-electricity consumer in London [4]. With an annual consumption of 1.6 Terawatt hours, TfL consume the same amount of electricity of 420,000 homes – equivalent to 12% of homes across London. 

Other Advantages

Mete Coban (Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy) noted that “the solar panels help TfL to cut running costs and save passengers money, they will also create green jobs while helping TfL to reduce its carbon emissions” [1].

About Pager Power 

Pager Power undertakes technical assessments for developers of renewable energy projects and tall buildings worldwide. For more information about what we do, please get in touch.

References

Figure 1: Joseph Balzano (2018) from unsplash.com. Last accessed on 5th November 2024. Available at: https://unsplash.com/photos/underground-signage-during-daytime-CezpbuAU-LQ

[1] Source: https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2024/october/tfl-invites-bidders-to-install-and-operate-solar-farms-for-the-tube-network

[2] Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cje0vde5x51o

[3] Source: https://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/tfl-partner-tube-network-solar-farms/

[4] Source: https://news.railbusinessdaily.com/tfl-invites-bidders-to-install-and-operate-solar-farms-for-the-tube-network/