London opens UK’s first transparent solar bus shelter

22 April 2016

by Nick Michell

Polysolar, a Building Integrated Photovoltaic company, has installed its transparent solar-PV (photovoltaic) glazing in a smart, energy generating bus shelter at London’s Canary Wharf.

Commissioned by Canary Wharf Group, and designed and developed by Polysolar in collaboration with hard landscaping and street furniture supplier Marshalls, the bus shelter has been constructed using transparent photovoltaic glass that generates clean renewable electricity even in low and ambient light. The energy will be used to run smart signage and other infrastructure on the estate.

“Transport infrastructure offers a large surface area where solar glass can deliver multi-functionality and therefore only a marginal additional cost,” Hamish Watson, Founder and CEO of Polysolar, told Cities Today. “A bus shelter is just one example where you can shelter passengers from the weather, while also generating meaningful renewable energy to power lighting, displays and possibly the future new electric busses. Other opportunities exist in road sound barriers, railway, petrol station and carpark canopies, where you can generate renewable energy without requiring additional land or compromising the function or aesthetics.”

The concept of discreetly embedding solar technology into the fabric of structures and buildings presents a simple, attractive and cost effective means of reducing London’s carbon emissions. The solar bus shelter is capable of generating 2000kW hours per year, enough electricity to power the average London home. The widespread adoption of this new glass technology could therefore make a significant contribution to London’s sustainable future.

“Canary Wharf Group is very interested in the emerging technology of Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV),” said Sir George Iacobescu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Canary Wharf Group. “We are working with Polysolar to develop BIPV cladding systems that could be suitable to install on the facades of our buildings and are hopeful that this technology will have the potential to significantly reduce the carbon impact of our future developments.”

In April 2015, Polysolar were selected as winners in Canary Wharf Group’s Cognicity Challenge for smart cities companies, having competed in a twelve-week accelerator programme under the ‘Sustainable Buildings’ stream of the competition. As part of their prize, Polysolar were selected to pilot their technology on the Canary Wharf estate. Polysolar continue to work alongside contractors, and hope to incorporate their innovative solar-PV glass into the façades of new high-rise office and residential developments on the estate.

“Buildings generate some 40 percent of the planets carbon dioxide emissions in power usage yet also represent a huge opportunity to both reduce consumption and generate energy,” added Watson. “With high rise office and residential buildings the proportionate area of roof available for solar is limited. The façade however offers a large expanse of unused space, where power can be generated. Substituting conventional cladding materials with solar PV glass therefore represents only a marginal additional installed cost and yet generates a financial return.”

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