SUSTAINABILITYSUPPLEMENT 03


The most complex challenge lay in the logistics of delivery and installation, not just for the solar panels, but for the entire bridge rebuild – the river has been used to get the vast majority of material to and from the site.


photovoltaic panels, combining to form a 1.1 megawatt system supplying 50% of the station’s energy needs. Lighting, ticket machines, staff accommodation and office facilities will all be powered through the solar system. And when it’s generating surplus energy, this will be fed back in to the UK National Grid. The scale of the Blackfriars array is such that not only will the station become the largest solar power station in London, but also the world’s biggest solar bridge, beating Brisbane’s Kurilpa footbridge into second place. The south facing slats of the platform roof,


located above a river with no buildings to overshadow the site, make Blackfriars the perfect location for solar panels. The somewhat changeable nature of the British weather is not a problem either – the panels just require daylight, as opposed to bright sunlight, in order to work – even the greyest winter’s days will still result in energy generation. In addition to the solar scheme, energy saving measures such as sun pipes, capturing and focussing the sun’s rays to provide natural lighting; and natural ventilation, reducing the need for air conditioning; will make Blackfriars the most environmentally-friendly station in Britain. The solar scheme at Blackfriars forms part of


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a drive by Network Rail to build energy-saving schemes into its plans to upgrade Britain’s railway infrastructure. Upgrades at Kings Cross and Liverpool Lime Street have also seen solar panels installed on station roofs, and flagship projects such as the reconstruction of Birmingham New Street station will include rain water harvesting and high-efficiency lighting.


Elements of the past, elements of the future The solar technology being employed at Blackfriars is not new, it’s essentially the same as that being installed on homes and offices across Europe. Neither is its size unique – it’s dwarfed by mega-arrays in Spain and Italy. What’s unique about Blackfriars is the combination of cutting edge solar technology with the historic, Victorian architecture of the British railway. This complex accommodation presented a


number of challenges for the Network Rail project team and their designers Jacobs. Weight was an issue – Blackfriars rail bridge was not originally designed to cater for platforms, passengers, or a roof resting on its piers, let alone over 4,000 cells each weighing over 16 kilos. The specification was for a light-weight panel, that didn’t add any more weight than was necessary


to the bridge. Planning was also a challenge, and Network Rail had to work closely with local authorities, including the City of London Corporation, to meet stringent requirements about any structure that affects views of St Paul’s Cathedral, which sits right next to the station. The most complex challenge, however, lay


in the logistics of delivery and installation, not just for the solar panels, but the entire bridge rebuild. The worksite at Blackfriars is wedged between the City of London and the River Thames, and the busy mainline and Underground railway lines running through it have remained operational for almost the entirety of the project. Every day, 300,000 people travel through the Blackfriars work- site, on the roads, river, railway or London Underground. This has made for a much more complex job, with planning required to the smallest detail in order to fit the job around the operation of the railway and other transport networks. To add to the complexity, space on site for storage of plant or materials is extremely limited, meaning everything needs to be delivered just in time for use. The solution for the logistics of delivery has


been to use the river to get the vast majority of material to and from the site. A fleet of barges


European Railway Review Volume 18, Issue 1, 2012


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