A solar panelled future

Solar panels have long been criticised as an expensive unviable energy source. But Blackfriars Bridge in London has had a solar facelift and is now the proud owner of 4,400 photovoltaic panels that are expected to provide half of the energy needed to run the tube station every year.

Network rail can finally open the world’s largest solar powered bridge after close to five years of planning and construction that had to be worked around an Olympic games and many a London rush hour. The environmentally conscious bridge was the brain child of network rail and photovoltaic company SolarCentury, which are known as a leader in solar energy.

The uk railway sector has been implementing changes to railways making the stations, trains and everything in-between a little greener and is even taking a step to work with English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Countryside Council for Wales to protect the sites of scientific interest that lie near the train tracks, so that’s good news for biodiversity in the uk.

The solar panels are a great step forward in raising public awareness in sustainable energy development and will be cutting down carbon emissions by 511 tonnes a year; this is equivalent to 89000 car journeys (average). Whatever the outcome it’s clear that the new bridge at Blackfriars is going to quickly become an iconic landmark in sustainable development and hopefully this will create a knock on effect for more to be done to make the countries capital greener.