The sun will soon be powering significant parts of London’s underground network after Transport for London (TfL) appointed SSE Energy Solutions as its delivery partner to build purpose-built solar installations to connect to the Tube network.
The move, which followed a competitive procurement process, means that TfL will receive zero-carbon electricity straight from the solar installations themselves, bypassing the National Grid. As London’s largest single electricity consumer, TfL is at the forefront of the green transition – with this one of the first private wire schemes for an urban transport network and part of TfL’s ambition to use 100 per cent renewably sourced electricity across TfL’s operations by 2030.
Now that SSE Energy Solutions has been selected as TfL’s delivery partner, it will work with TfL to identify suitable locations to build the new solar installations. These will likely be required to be close to the TfL network to enable the direct connection and could incorporate a mixture of solar opportunities, including both ground mounted solar installations or rooftop panels.
Once constructed, they could deliver up to 65,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of renewable electricity to the network, which is the equivalent of around two-thirds of the estimated annual consumption of the Victoria line* or the electricity consumed each year by around 25,000 homes.
There is the potential to save more than 27,000 tonnes of carbon in total over 25 years – the equivalent of almost 32,900 flights between London and New York City – while also stimulating the market for green jobs. TfL is the largest single electricity consumer in London with a demand of approximately 1.6 Terawatt hours (TWh) per year, which is equivalent to the electricity consumed by around 592,600 homesor 15.5 per cent of homes across London.
The appointment of SSE Energy Solutions as TfL’s delivery partner will enable TfL to directly receive zero-carbon electricity from local solar installations that will be purpose-built, bypassing the National Grid’s centralised sources and Distribution Network Operators and thereby reducing pressure on central electricity grids.
The collaboration also guarantees generated renewable power to TfL at a fixed price, protecting TfL against market volatility, while also contributing to the country’s security of supply as it is locally generated. In the longer term, this private wire scheme could potentially generate additional financial savings through bypassing some of the costs associated with delivery of power through the National Grid.
This latest agreement forms a key part of TfL’s long-term Energy Purchasing Strategy, which will see it purchase up to 70 per cent of the total electricity it needs through Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). Last summer, following a competitive procurement process, TfL confirmed that it had appointed a delivery partner to generate and deliver green electricity via a PPA – TfL’s first such agreement.
The contract will see a new solar facility built in Longfield, Essex, and renewable energy generated for the Tube. This will support the decarbonisation of the national grid, while providing TfL with renewable energy at a fixed price. The remainder of TfL’s electricity will mainly be procured through a flexible green tariff, contributing to the wider ambition to use 100 per cent renewable source electricity across TfL’s operations by 2030, and support the Mayor’s goal for London to be a net zero carbon city by 2030.
Lilli Matson, chief safety, health and environment officer at TfL, said: “We’re excited to be working together with SSE Energy Solutions to deliver renewable electricity directly to the Tube network. Once built, the new solar installations will provide locally generated renewable electricity, reducing the pressure on the National Grid, while also helping to protect us against market volatility with the added potential for cost savings too.
“We all need to play our part to support the successful transition to renewable energy, working together across the public and private sectors. As one of the largest electricity consumers in the UK, we’re committed to being the strong, green heartbeat for London. This collaboration is just one of the ways that we’re working towards our wider ambition to use 100 per cent renewable source electricity across our operations by 2030.”
Nathan Sanders, managing director of distributed energy, SSE Energy Solutions, commented: “SSE Energy Solutions is proud to be appointed by TfL to deliver renewable energy directly to the Tube via private-wire – supporting London’s 2030 net zero ambition and TfL’s Corporate Environment Plan. We’ll invest in, build, operate and maintain the projects, helping to decarbonise and manage price volatility while enabling potential savings for TfL.”
Image credit: TfL
