Solar bus shelters deliver clean power for electric transport

The local Australian subsidiary of Spanish clean energy company Iberdrola has completed the installation of two solar bus shelters in Melbourne’s west, each spanning over 65 metres in length and with a combined capacity of 65kW.

Located at the Deer Park train station in Melbourne’s outer western suburbs, the two solar bus shelters are expected to generate 80,000kWh of renewable energy each year.

The bus shelter roof is constructed entirely from solar panels and paired with a water protection system and vandal-resistant cladding underneath.

Part of the renovations at the Deer Park Station being undertaken as part of the Victorian government’s Level Crossing Removal Project, the 65kW array feeds directly into the station building and is expected to offset nearly 4,000MWh of electricity over the asset’s lifetime.

Removing the level crossing included the construction of a new rail bridge, elevated station, with a new bus exchange and upgraded car parks.

Local construction company McConnell Dowell Constructors completed the level crossing removal on Mt Derrimut Road in Deer Park, while many of the sustainability features were carried out by South Australian construction company Built Environs.

As part of the sustainability measures carried out alongside the renovations, more than 50,000 trees, plants, and shrubs were also planted around the station.