BOGESTRA
Solar power plant, 250 kWp, solar thermal energy, commission 2003
The "Bochum-Gelsenkirchener Straßenbahnen AG" (Tramway company located in Bochum and Gelsenkirchen), short BOGESTRA, offers mobility to about 130 million people twenty-four-seven around the year. To accomplish this task, for instance more than 100 tram and underground vehicles in Bochum, Gelsenkirchen, Herne, Witten and Hattingen are on their way.
From Octobre 2000 until May 2003, the BOGESTRA constructed a new tramway building at the "Hauptstraße" in Gelsenkirchen for 34 state-of-the-art low-floor trams, each with a length of 30 meters.
Behind the listed facade hides high tech for attendance, operation and logistics for the vehicles. But also in ecological terms the tramway operation centre is setting trends. On the partly green roof there is a thermal solar plant for hot water generation and a photovoltaic system with 1650 solar panels. Those have a peak output of 250 kWh, which makes the system to one of the largest in NRW.
The photovoltaic panels are integrated into shed-roofs in southward direction at a declination of ca. 28°. A shed-roof is a line up of asymmetrical gable roofs. This construction makes it possible to use the roof for power generation, while enough daylight falls into the hall from the north side.
Several solar panels form the photovoltaic generator. With the help of a.c. converters the direct current is tarnsformed into ac voltage. The BOGESTRA only uses about half of the generated power for internal purposes. The remaining 49% are inducted in the public power supply system of ELE (Emscher Lippe Energie GmbH). According to the "Renewable Energies Law" every kilowatt is refunded with 0,46€. Thus the system amortizes itself in the long view, but the ecological profit starts today.
Visitors can get new information on topical data and figures of the photovoltaic system on an information board in front of the building. For further information please directly call BOGESTRA (Mr. Eckart, +49 234 303 2331).