Electricity is one of the main costs of rail transport and that is why many concessionaires are investing in alternatives to cover part of the consumption. This is the case of the Itaquaquecetuba station on Line 12-Safira, in São Paulo (SP), operated by CPTM.
The station's renovation includes the implementation of a 360 kWp photovoltaic system, sufficient to meet 80% of the platform's consumption. 660 modules will be installed, capable of generating 400 thousand kWh per year. The project is scheduled to be completed next month (October), with a return on investment estimated at 7 years.
Also in the capital of São Paulo, the Vila Olímpia train station already has a solar plant, with a generation capacity of 102 MWh per year. In total, the plant has 96.6 kWp – which corresponds to 234 photovoltaic panels.
On the São Paulo monorail, at Ipiranga Station, on line 15-Prata, a solar energy plant with 522 modules and a peak power of 208 kW is scheduled to be completed in 2025.
In Brasília (DF), the Samambaia Sul Station received a plant with 561 panels, with capacity to generate 308 thousand kWh per year, equivalent to 100% of the station's consumption. Guariroba Station, also in Brasília, has a photovoltaic system capable of generating 288 thousand kWh per year.
In addition to increasing energy security and reducing consumption from the electricity grid, the solar energy produced at the stations is clean and renewable, contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gases.