First solar-powered train station in Norway
Norwegian rail infrastructure manager Bane NOR plans to make the first train station in the country solar-powered. It will install 4,500 square metres of photovoltaic panels on the roof of the Drammen railway station. This pilot project will be finished in 2024.
The installation of the solar panels will be provided within the construction of a new railway station in Drammen. It will have three platform roofs over six tracks. All the solar panels will be deployed on the platform roofs. They will produce renewable energy for lighting and heating the station building and its technical facilities.
“All of our projects are measured as contributing to a cleaner climate, and we are always looking for new ways to reduce emissions when building a new railway,” said Håvard Kjerkol, environmental manager at Bane NOR.
Cost savings
Besides the positive impact on the environment, the solar panels will have an economic benefit for Bane NOR. The solar panels will have a lifespan of at least 25 years. According to estimations, they will cover the cost that the Norwegian rail infrastructure manager will spend for their deployment.
In addition, Bane NOR plans to partially use the solar-generated energy from the Drammen facility to power its other stations. “Some of the power can also be used at Gulskogen station or follow the new, continuous power grid we build from here and down in Vestfold. There, we can supply emission-free energy to a number of the railway’s technical houses”, said Glenn Thomas Johansen, assistant project manager at Bane NOR.
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