Vauxhall Cross Interchange, London
Spectacular view of the underside of the energy roof at Vauxhall.
Background
The Mayor's Energy Strategy for London encourages greater use of renewable energy as an essential component of London’s energy mix. London’s renewable energy targets aim to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 10% by 2010, to include the generation of at least 665GWh of renewable electricity including 250 photovoltaic applications on commercial and public buildings.
Transport for London (TfL), part of the Greater London Authority, demonstrated the energy strategy by involving Solarcentury in the project team to pioneer use of solar energy in the new Vauxhall Cross Bus interchange. Solarcentury worked with Arup Associates, acting as the solar design consultants, suppliers and installation managers of this landmark solar scheme. Set in one of the busiest areas of London and one of London’s key areas of urban regeneration, Vauxhall Cross reaches out to the sun, generating 30% of the energy required to power the 24-hour bus station area from solar photovoltaic (PV) technology.
Solar design
Solarcentury designed and installed 168 Sanyo 180W ‘hybrid’ solar modules onto the striking ‘fork’ cantilevered structure to the interchange’s canopy. This is one of the most efficient solar modules that are commercially available, due to the unique combination of the latest monocrystalline and amorphous silicon technology, ideally suited to cloudy London and limited roof areas.
The Building Integrated PV (BIPV) solar design replaced stainless steel cladding, offsetting the cost of traditional building materials with energy generating, weatherproof solar technology. This demonstrates modern, cost effective use of solar modules, which has the potential for considerable replication in construction.
TfL solar applications:
TfL have specified the generation of electricity from solar PV in numerous other applications. The refurbishment of the Walworth Bus Depot became the first bus garage in London to be solar powered with a simple roof mounted solar array. Solarcentury have also worked with TfL to trial solar bus shelters on Waterloo Bridge and in 2004, TfL commissioned the installation of 7,500 solar powered bus stops over 5 years. The diversity and replicable scale of these applications demonstrates that solar technology has come of age. As quoted by Ken Livingstone, "solar will be integral in everything we do".
Summary of electricity comparisons:
- Generates total electricity for 8 average three-bed houses each year
- Generates enough electricity each year to light an average three-bed house for over 40 years
- Generates enough electricity to make 890,000 million pieces of toast/1.2 million cups of tea every year
Summary of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) comparisons:
- Annually saves over 10 tonnes of CO2 emissions, a major greenhouse gas, equivalent to 746,000 million party balloons or 6 Olympic swimming pools.
- Annual CO2 savings: account for 14 trees required to absorb CO2 over 100 years.
- To achieve the Kyoto Protocol, the UK is required to reduce CO2 emissions by 12.5% below 1990 levels by 2010. This installation offsets the contribution of 30 UK individuals to this target every year.