Originally published November 27 2005
Edinburgh will power its bus stations with solar energy
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
More than 100 of Edinburgh's bus stops will soon be powered by solar panels.
The city's bus shelters may not seem the sunniest of places when the wind's blowing, the rain's pouring down and the bus is taking an age to arrive.
But, despite the apparent disadvantages of the Edinburgh climate, solar power is to be used to light up more than 100 of the city's busiest bus stops.
The move - which will see the bus stops light up when passengers walk in after dark - follows successful trials of the new technology at a handful of shelters across the Capital.
The council hopes to eventually have solar panels - which are installed on the shelter's roofs - on most of the local authority's 1100 shelters.
Councillors are expected to agree next week to spend cash awarded to the city by SESTRAN, the regional transport partnership for south-east Scotland, on the project.
"In the past the difficulty and high cost of connecting to a mains electrical supply has restricted the use of lighting within bus shelters.
"The fast-developing technology of solar-power systems makes it possible to improve lighting levels at most bus stops."
The bus shelters are lit up at night using energy stored by the south-facing solar panels fixed to the shelters' roofs.
It means there is low-level lighting on throughout the night, while an infrared sensor fully activates the light when it detects someone nearby - and remains on until shortly after the passenger has left the immediate area.
Vice President Richard Sowter said: "Edinburgh City Council's pioneering solar shelter contract uses solar energy at its finest, generating power where you need it to provide quality lighting at bus shelters for passengers comfort and safety."
The 11 solar-powered shelters that have been on trial in Edinburgh are dotted around the city at locations including Regent Road, Dalkeith Road, Old Dalkeith Road, Craigmillar Park and on the A8 near Edinburgh Airport.
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