London Transport Museum Photovoltaic Project

The London Transport Museum is located in the old flower market building in Covent Garden. This highly popular tourist attraction is undergoing a major refurbishment, and thanks to a collaboration between the Museum, the LCCA and Transport for London this now includes an innovative solar PV scheme.

This project was the first of a series of flagship or demonstration projects supported by the LCCA, which provided expertise on its planning application and which technologies to use. This project is the first Grade II listed building in the UK to receive planning consent for a large scale photovoltaic system. The 52kWp photovoltaic system was implemented by TFL as part of the Museum refurbishment contract and was completed and the Museum was re-opened to the public in December 2007. The panels will provide around 16% of the building’s electricity needs during the summer months and expected to generate 34,200 kWh of electricity and reduce CO2 emissions by 20 tonnes CO2 a year.

Sam Mullins, Director of the London Transport Museum added: 'I am delighted that the new Museum will be at the cutting edge of both demonstrating and explaining the importance of renewable sources of energy to London's future well-being.'

Planning permission for the photovoltaic array system has been granted by Westminster City Council which sets an important precedent for implementing renewable energy in listed buildings. This is the first example of such a project for an historic listed building in the UK.