A large photovoltaic power plant with 4,000 panels – exactly 3,976 – will cover the roof of the workshops on lines 9 and 10 of the metro, in the Zona Franca. The installation will generate electricity for this transport infrastructure. The Generalitat is investing 3.21 million euros in the project, which has begun to be executed and is expected to be ready by the end of the year. It will produce about 3 gigawatts of energy a year and will be able to cover about 3% of consumption, similar to that of about 900 families. In addition, it will lead to a saving in CO2 emissions equivalent to removing 266,000 vehicles a year from the accesses of Barcelona.
"It is the largest photovoltaic self-consumption infrastructure in the Generalitat to date and allows us to make a leap forward in the generation of renewable energy", explained yesterday the president, Pere Aragonès, during a visit to the works, which do accompanied by the new Minister of Territory, Ester Capella. These facilities are also, he added, "a very good example" of how the Catalan Administration "places all the assets, all the properties that belong to the citizens as a whole, at the service of the energy transition towards renewables". In addition, "they will make it possible to cover part of the energy demand of public transport and contribute to it being more efficient and also assuming its responsibility in relation to the decarbonisation of the economy", he added.
This action is part of a Government plan to place photovoltaic panels on all surfaces of public buildings, as included in the energy prospectus approved on Tuesday by the Executive Council. The goal, explained Aragonès, is "to reach 2050 with a country with 100% renewable energy".
The works are underway and, in a first phase that will last until autumn, includes the placement of panels in the saw structure of the roof. The rest of the roof will have to be conditioned and it is planned to install the plates later, at the end of the year.
The action is the main part of an operation that began with the installation of 495 photovoltaic panels on the roofs of the four stations in the L10 Sud viaduct –Zona Franca, Port Comercial-La Factoria, Ecoparc and ZAL-Riu Old, totaling 962 m2. So, in total, there will be 4,471 plates distributed over five decks with a total area of 10,768 m2 around this metro line.
There are more infrastructures linked to public transport that will have solar panels, as the works to expand the Sant Genís workshops and garages, on L3 of the metro, are out for tender, which also include the placement of facilities of this type on the deck.
