The Victorian bridge, built in 1886, is the foundation for the new Blackfriars station, which is being upgraded by Network Rail to cater for more passengers and an improved trainservice. A new roof, added to the historic structure, will incorporate over6,000m2 of PV panels, creating the biggest solar array in London.
The solar panels will generate an estimated 900,000kWh of electricity every year, providing 50% of the station’s energy and reducing CO2 emissions by an estimated 511 tonnes per year. In addition to solar panels, other energy saving measures at the new station will include rain harvesting systems and sun pipes for natural lighting.
The Blackfriars upgrade is part of Network Rail’s Thameslink programme, which will see longer trains running on the route from Bedford to Brighton through London. Once the upgrade is complete, up to 24 trains per hour will be able to run on the central London section of the route, meaning more seats for commuters.
Lindsay Vamplew, Network Rail’s project director for Blackfriars, said: “We’re creating a spacious, modern station and delivering a vastly improved train service for passengers, while at the same time installing London’s largest solar array to make Blackfriars more environmentally-friendly and sustainable. The Victorian rail bridge at Blackfriars is part of our railway history. Constructed in the age of steam, we’re bringing it bang up to date with twenty first century solar technology to create an iconic station for the city.”
The company behind the solar engineering and installation is London-based Solarcentury, which worked with engineers Jacobs to incorporate solar PV into the station design. The high-efficiency solar modules used are manufactured by SANYO Electric Co. Ltd.
Derry Newman, chief executive, Solarcentury, said: “It’s fantastic to see this project finally come to fruition. Blackfriars Bridge is an ideal location for solar; a new, iconic large roof space, right in the heart of London. Station buildings and bridges are fixed parts of our urban landscape and it is great to see that this one will be generating renewable energy every day into the future. Unknown to most, there are many hundreds of buildings now powered by solar in the capital as investment in this technology increases. For people to see that solar power is working is a vital step towards a clean energy future.”
Mr. Shigeki Komatsu, solar division director of SANYO Component Europe GmbH, commented: “SANYO is very proud to have its HIT solar modules used in the redevelopment of Blackfriars Station. The high efficiency of our solar modules makes them ideal for structures where maximum power generation is required from an area where load must be considered. With our solar modules on this well known London landmark, SANYO hopes to raise awareness and understanding of solar and other renewable energy technologies, demonstrating how they can both help the city environment and minimise the onset of climate change.”
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Notes to editors:
1. The only other solar bridge known in the world is in Brisbane, Australia. The Kurilpa Footbridge was constructed in 2009.
2. Earlier this year 16,000 solar panels were laid on the top of a train tunnel in Belgium, for trains travelling from Paris to Antwerp. The electricity produced was equivalent to that needed to power all the trains in Belgium for one day per year.
3. The solar panels for Blackfriars station were funded through the Department for Transport’s safety and environment fund.
4. Generation yield of 900,000 kWh forecast on 850kWh/ kWp generated, as recommended by the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
5. C02 savings based on 0.545 kg C02 per kWh of grid electricity in the UK, as stated by The Carbon Trust.
6. HIT® is a registered trademark of SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. The name "HIT®" comes from "Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin-layer" which is an original technology of SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
For further press information contact:
Network Rail: David Wilson; david.wilson@networkrail.co.uk; +44 7515 619389
Solarcentury: Charlotte Webster; charlotte.webster@solarcentury.com; +44 (0)7990 583307 / +44 (0)207 8030148
About Network Rail
Network Rail is the not for dividend owner and operator of Britain's railway infrastructure, which includes the tracks, signals, tunnels, bridges, viaducts, level crossings and stations - the largest of which it also manages. Its aim is to provide a safe, reliable and efficient rail infrastructure for freight and passenger trains to use. www.networkrail.co.uk
About Solarcentury
Solarcentury is one of Europe's fastest growing and most innovative solar photovoltaics (PV) companies. The most experienced solar energy company in the UK, Solarcentury was founded by Chairman Jeremy Leggett in 1998 to design and supply solar energy solutions for the built environment. The organisation has managed the installation of well over 1,000 solar PV turnkey projects. It has helped over 9,000 homes go solar through its supply of systems to housebuilders and through its network of regional associate installers. Solarcentury, now over 120 staff, is led by CEO Derry Newman and based in London, with staff in the UK, France and Italy. It is the founding company of the schools initiative Solar4Schools and charity for the developing world, SolarAid. In 2008, 2010 & 2011, Solarcentury was named the UK's Fastest Growing Renewable Energy Company by UK's Sunday Times Tech Track 100. In April 2011 it was awarded a Queens Award for Enterprise in innovation. www.solarcentury.com www.solarcentury.co.uk
About SANYO Component Europe GmbH
SANYO Electric Co., Ltd., a member of the Panasonic Group, is a global company with leading energy and environmental technology and products for commercial and consumer use. SANYO Component Europe GmbH, a fully incorporated subsidiary of SANYO Electric Co., Ltd., is a supplier of highly developed environmental and energy solutions. The company offers an extensive range of batteries, rechargeable batteries and photovoltaic modules. The headquarters of SANYO Component Europe GmbH is located in Munich with a subsidiary in France.
