On the right track

Amelia Woodley is responding to demanding energy-saving targets at South Western Railway with an innovative power generation project

I guess it had to happen. You’re 20 minutes late for an interview with the head of sustainability at South Western Railway. And the cause is, of course, signalling problems on South Western Railway. Amelia Woodley offers her apologies but it’s not her role to make the trains run on time. She has her own sustainability timetable to keep to.

As part of the franchise agreement agreed between 2017 and 2024 the organisation has been set some demanding energy reduction targets. “We have a target to reduce energy use by 41 per cent by 2024 in our estate and carbon emissions by 56 per cent on everything that happens on the track,” Woodley told EiBI.

Woodley has the experience to make an impact. For the last nine years she has worked in the rail industry for contractors and consultancies. “In my previous position as the Thameslink programme environment manager I looked at the upgrade from Bedford to Brighton including the redevelopment of Blackfriars, Farringdon and, most recently, London Bridge Stations.”

A cut of well over half of the emissions caused by the running of the trains is a formidable target to hit. “Network Rail purchase the electricity that we use so we are doing our best to work with them and encourage them to use as much of a renewable mix as possible,” she said. “The purchase it in ten-year blocks so we are dependent on them. Our decarbonisation comes from the mix they purchase. But we are looking at a number of options such wrapping films in solar film and optimising heating and cooling.

“At the moment 89 per cent of our trains are electric and 11 per cent are diesel. The diesels will run for this franchise and we are looking at technologies that can be retrofitted to reduce their impact.”

But one of the most exciting developments that could have wider implications for the whole of the UK’s train network is happening under Woodley’s watch. SWR is hosting a public drop-in event for a pilot solar energy project, Riding Sunbeams, to power trains through connecting solar panels directly into the railway system as traction current, without first distributing it to the grid.

Riding Sunbeams is the scheme first of its kind in the UK rail industry. It was developed alongside climate change charity 10:10 and is aimed at developing renewable energy sources to reduce emissions and future transport running costs.

For the pilot project, Riding Sunbeams and other project stakeholders will install 135 solar panels on vacant land near Aldershot station in Hampshire. The 30kWp ‘First Light’ demonstrator photovoltaic (PV) array will connect to an ancillary transformer on the traction system to power lights and signalling equipment.

10:10 will use the data to design and test systems that can directly supply solar power to the DC traction network.
According to 10:10, solar traction power could provide 10 per cent of the energy required to power trains on the UK’s third-rail 750V DC electrified lines every year.

Woodley developed a relationship with Riding Sunbeams and managed to secure the trial at Aldershot. “This could be a solution to decarbonising the grid. We are also discussing where else it could be applied across our network. We are looking forward to seeing the results,” she added.

SWR recently held an open-day for customers to see the Riding Sunbeams project. “The reaction was very positive,” she commented. “Passengers are interested in sustainability and it was good for us to show them that we are responding to the challenge.”

A further initiative to engage with customers is the installation of 60 electric vehicle charging points at six stations on its network.
SWR has invested £100,000 in the construction and installation of the 13-amp trickle charging points that will allow passengers to plug-in and charge their electric vehicles while they are parked for the day.

“The new charging points are designed to charge passengers’ cars while they travel but have the flexibility to support both current and future generations of electric vehicles,” added Woodley.

She is also very keen to involve SWR staff in sustainability. “We run training programmes so they understand how it applies to their role. When we are designing projects we need to give them the skills to understand that energy efficiency is an important part of that. We try to get people to look at the bigger picture as well as their own personal life. There are lots of people in the organisation who are passionate about it.”

Woodley has already begun to make progress towards hitting the 41 per cent target for an estate that comprises 184 stations and seven depots. She has concentrated on lighting and installing PV panels. “We are rolling out LEDs across the stations in front of house, customer-focused areas. Lighting has a huge impact so that’s where we are focusing efforts. At three depots we are installing PV panels as well as assessing where CHP might work for us.”

Woodley is facing quite a challenge to meet the energy-saving targets under the franchise agreement. But her efforts to introduce the Riding Sunbeams project could lead to a revolution in the way our railways are powered.