Sun on the rails – Solar-powered trains could make rail transport greener

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C OMMUTERS MAY not have paid them much attention, but a small array of solar panels next to the railway line at Aldershot, a town 50km (30 miles) south-west of London, could herald a greener future for train travel.
The site is an experiment to supply electricity generated from sunlight directly to a railway line.
In Britain, as in many places, solar power is already fed into the grid, and it is the grid which train operators plug into.
So, in a sense, many electric trains already use some solar power.
But by connecting the panels to the line itself, trains can be powered more efficiently.
And the concept is working, says Stuart Kistruck, director of engineering for the southern region of Network Rail, the government-owned operator of railway infrastructure in Britain.
A pickup shoe near the wheels of the train draws power from this rail.
Third-rail systems tend to be employed in urban railways because they are easier and cheaper than making tunnels and bridges large enough to accommodate overhead cables—and the railway lines of southern Britain have plenty of low bridges and tunnels.
For safety and other reasons, third-rail systems typically operate at 750 volts DC , a much lower voltage than overhead lines, which in Britain run at 25 kilovolts AC .
As it happens, solar arrays typically put out DC current at 600-800 volts, which reduces the complexity and cost of connecting them to the railway line.
First, there is a lot of unused land next to railway lines, where solar panels could be placed.
The “leaves on the line” excuse for late-running trains is a bit of a joke in Britain, but the slippery conditions leaves cause for train wheels are a big problem.
With around 40% of the country’s rail system electrified, Network Rail is Britain’s biggest single user of electricity.
India, for instance, is keen on using solar power to electrify its rail system.
Indian Railways has been fitting solar panels onto the roofs of some train carriages

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