Solar Farms Could Partly Power London Underground
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
Transport for London (TfL) is planning to set up solar farms to help power its Underground network.
These three introductory paragraphs give more details.
The transport body has asked for potential “delivery partners” to apply to provide up to 64 megawatts of zero-carbon electricity from purpose-built solar farms.
This would be about 5% of the power needed to run the Tube and would bypass the National Grid, according to TfL.
It says it is the largest single electricity consumer in London – at a level equivalent to that consumed by about 420,000 homes – and the project would reduce pressure on the central grids.
These are my thoughts.
Solar Panels At Cockfosters
This Google Map shows Cockfosters Depot and the surrounding land.
Note.
- The London Underground roundel in the North-West corner of the map indicates Cockfosters station.
- The London Underground roundel in the South-East corner of the map indicates Oakwood station.
- Between the two stations lies the large Cockfosters Train Depot, which is one of the major depots for the Piccadilly Line.
- To the North of the railway is Trent Park, which in its Wikipedia entry is described as a country house in North London.
I know the area well, as I used to live opposite Southgate School, which is towards the bottom of the map, until I was sixteen.
I believe that solar panels could be installed in three places.
- As a solar roof over a rebuilt depot.
- As a solar farm on some of the Trent Park land.
- In Would A Solar Roof With Added Vertical Turbines Work?, I suggested a hybrid installation on top of Oakwood station.
As it is a very windy hill-top, I would look into the possibility of perhaps four large wind turbines between the tracks of the depot.
It is definitely an area, where there are possibilities for renewable power.
But given that the Nimbies are objecting to the building of housing on the car-parks at Cockfosters and Oakwood stations, I suspect they will object.
Solar Roofs Above Depots And Sidings
In the previous sub-section, I suggested what was possible at Cockfosters, by installing a solar roof above Cockfosters Train Depot
These Google Maps show a number of other depots, that have possibilities for solar roofs.
Ealing Common
Edgware
Golders Green
Hainault
Hammersmith
Morden
Neasden
Northfields
Northumberland Park
Old Oak Common
Ruislip
Stonebridge Park
Stratford Market
Upminster
All these depots are different, but I do feel there is scope for solar roofs and panels above the sidings.
Other developments like housing may also be possible over some of the depots.
Zero-Carbon Lighting Of Large Spaces
In Cockfosters Train Depot – 12th January 2023, I took a series of pictures of Cockfosters Train Depot, of which these are a selection.
Note, the lamp clusters on top of tall poles to light the area.
You see lots of these lights to illuminate play areas, car parks, rail sidings and truck depots.
Could a SeaTwirl or another vertical wind turbine be placed as high as possible up the pole, that supports the lights?
- A battery would be needed for when the wind doesn’t blow.
- A control system would be used to use the lights, when they are needed.
- The poles would be able to be laid down, like many lights can be, for servicing from the ground.
Cockfosters would be an excellent location for a test, as the wind is always blowing and the site has an altitude of nearly a hundred metres.
Cockfosters Train Depot – 12th January 2023
In Would A Solar Roof With Added SeaTwirls Work?, I showed this map of Oakwood.
Note.
- The striped roofs at the top of the map, with sidings for trains to the North, is Cockfosters Train Depot for the Piccadilly Line.
- Cockfosters station is off the map on the West side of the map.
- Oakwood station is at the East side of the map and indicated by a London Underground roundel.
- The two tracks of the Piccadilly Line between Oakwood and Cockfosters stations, running across the map to the North of the depot.
I took these pictures of the Cockfosters Train Depot as my train went between Oakwood and Cockfosters.
Note.
- The land between the Piccadilly Line and the depot seems to be being cleared.
- Is this to expand the depot for the new trains?
- There are some high lights mounted above the sidings.
- The depot buildings don’t look anything special.
This article on Ian Visits is entitled Depot Upgrade At Cockfosters For The Piccadilly Line’s New Trains.
- Before and after maps show a lot more sidings.
- The new siding layout reaches almost all the way to the Piccadilly Line.
- The old depot has been assessed to be utilitarian with low architectural and historic value.
- The depot will be completely rebuilt over the next two years for the new Siemens trains.
- Nothing is said as to whether the new depot will be fitted with a solar roof.
The new trains will start running in 2025. It seems that the work hasn’t progressed very far.
Would A Solar Roof With Added Vertical Turbines Work?
This picture shows Oakwood station on the Piccadilly Line.
Note.
- The station is the second most Northerly on the line.
- It opened in 1933.
- It is a classic Charles Holden design.
- It is a Grade II* Listed building.
- The station is on top of a hill and has an elevation of 71 metres above sea level.
This Google Map shows a close-up of the roof.
There might be a few aerials on the roof, but no solar panels.
Oakwood’s Location And Weather
I used to live near Oakwood station and it had its disadvantages.
- Cycling home was always up a steep hill.
- It could get very cold at times.
There even used to be a plaque at the station, which said that if you flew East, the first land you would hit would be the Urals.
Oakwood station could be an ideal renewable power station.
- The concrete and brick box of the station is probably exceedingly strong.
- Solar panels could cover the flat roof.
- SeaTwirls or other vertical turbines could be mounted around the solar panels.
- There could still be spaces for the aerials.
- I wonder what the reaction of English Heritage would be.
Should we call this mixed solar and wind power generation, hybrid renewable energy? Or do we overdo, the use of hybrid?
London Underground have other stations of a similar design including Sudbury Town and Acton Town.
The Wider Area To The West Of Oakwood Station
This Google Map shows the area to the West of Oakwood station.
Note.
- The striped roofs at the top of the map, with sidings for trains to the North, is Cockfosters Train Depot for the Piccadilly Line..
- The large building in the South-West corner is Southgate School, which I watched being built in the early 1960s, from my bedroom window in our house opposite. It is a concrete frame building typical of the period.
- Oakwood station is at the East side of the map and indicated by a London Underground roundel.
I think the possibilities for hybrid power generation in this area are good.
Cockfosters Depot
Cockfosters Depot could be an interesting site to develop as a renewable power station.
- There’s no way the site could be developed for housing, as it’s in the Green Belt.
- Road access is bad, but access for trains is good.
- I estimate that the depot is an area of at least five square kilometres.
- It’s still windy in the depot.
But it could have a solar roof and a few vertical wind turbines over the whole depot as designs and panels improve.
Southgate School
Southgate School could have a similar setup to Oakwood station.
Opportunities At Cockfosters Station
This Google Map shows a 3D image of Cockfosters station and the buildings around it.
Note.
- Cockfosters station is indicated by the roundel.
- The station is a Grade II Listed building.
- The station has an elevation of 97 metres.
- Half of the station car park is going to be turned into housing.
- Trent Park lies to the North of the station.
- The road in front of the station is Cockfosters Road, which to the North joins the M25 at Junction 24.
- The building between Cockfosters Road and the railway used to be offices, but it is now being converted into housing.
That high roof of the housing development, must be an ideal candidate for solar panels and vertical wind turbines.
Conclusion
I have tried to show the potential of just one of the small hills that ring London.
The Anonymous Widower 