Solar Tunnel To Power 4,000 Trains Annually

Europe’s first “solar tunnel” is providing power to high-speed trains running between Paris and Amsterdam. Solar power is used in a 3.6 kilometer (about 2 mile) stretch of tunnel crossing Antwerp, Belgium. 16,000 solar panels were installed on the tunnel’s roof and cover an area of 50,000 square meters (about 12 acres.)
The tunnel is built to protect trains from falling trees as they pass through an ancient forest near Antwerp, is covered with solar cells and could generate 3.3 MWh of electricity annually. That’s equivalent to the average annual consumption of nearly 1,000 homes and provide enough electricity to power 4,000 trains a year. The trains tap into the solar energy as they pass through the tunnel at 186 mph. The electricity also provides power for lighting, signals and other infrastructure. The tunnel is also estimated to decrease CO2 emissions by 2,400 tons per year. The project costs about $22.8 million.