Solar panels at two South London train depots generate enough power for 7.5m cups of tea
Solar panels installed at Denmark Hill railway station and Streatham Hill depot generated enough power in 2022 to make 7.5 million cups of tea.
As well as the solar panels at those two locations, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) also has a vast covering of power-generating panels at Blackfriars railway station – which, at the time of installation, meant they had the world’s largest solar-powered bridge.
At Denmark Hill and Streatham, the PV arrays – the technical term for power generation totals – came to 236,387 kWh of energy last year.
That figure translates to the equivalent of all those cups of tea. The power source is also green, cutting down carbon dioxide emissions by 46 tonnes per year.
In 2021, 526 solar panels were installed on Streatham Hill depot’s roof, in collaboration with Network Rail and community climate action group Energy Garden.
It is estimated that Blackfriars’ panels produced 900,000 kWh of energy last year, thanks to the 6,000m2 of PV panels that were installed on the station’s roof in 2012. The PVs cut carbon emissions by 513 tonnes per year – equating to about 89,000 average car journeys.
Jason Brooker, head of environment at GTR, said: “We are incredibly pleased with the results to date – and hope this will be the beginning of more savings to come.
“We already take measures such as ensuring all the electricity we use across our stations and depots comes from green energy tariffs using renewable energy assets, as well as looking at our efficiency – from the LED lights to the way we heat our offices.
“Creating our own energy, including through the incredibly successful solar panel network, is the next logical step.”
Sarah Borien, of Network Rail, said: “Generating our own renewable energy through solar panels is a key part of our sustainability plan for Network Rail’s southern region, so we’re delighted that GTR share our ambition and that we can work together to make our railway even cleaner and greener.”
Pictured top: Denmark Hill with its array of solar panels above platforms (Picture: GTR)
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