%T Switching tracks: Railway stations as sites for renewable energy generation in the Netherlands
%A Rory Foyle
%L theses_frw4381
%X Due to the low power density of renewable energy sources and the competition of land uses in the Netherlands, there is a need for an integration of energy landscapes. Transport infrastructure can be used both for its primary purpose in transportation and for the generation of renewable energy. This research aims to find the technical and socio-institutional feasibility of the use of railway station rooftops for the generation of renewable energy using a mixed methods approach. This approach combines interviews with staff members in key organisations relating to the Dutch energy and railway systems with solar resource analysis using geographic information systems. To do this, a systems transition theory perspective is taken, highlighting the interconnectivity of society’s socio-technical systems. This lens is used to examine the case study of the Hogesnelheidslijn-Zuid, the only high-speed railway line in the Netherlands. Results of the quantitative analysis of available rooftop space show an abundance of exploitable solar resources, particularly on one of the six stations studied, Barendrecht. Results of the qualitative analysis show an improving energy governance system, accompanied by an increasing prevalence of local energy initiatives. However, there remains institutional ambiguity in many aspects, including whether or not government and government-owned organisations should focus on developing a few large- or many small-scale renewable energy projects to meet targets. This is compounded by the localisation of energy landscapes, which these organisations must also address and the need for urgent results.
%D 2023