Assessing the applicability of a railway-integrated photovoltaic system for sustainable urban tourist trains

Abstract

The Haeundae Beach Train is a battery-powered electric train system redeveloped from a disused railway that connects major tourist destinations in Busan, Republic of Korea. This study analyzed the feasibility of using photovoltaic panels installed along the train railway to meet the train’s electricity demands. Solar radiation data were calculated using ArcGIS Pro software, incorporating monthly diffuse proportion and transmittivity values. The resulting solar radiation data were combined with meteorological data to generate synthetic data that reflected local climatic characteristics. The synthetic data were used in PVsyst simulations to estimate monthly photovoltaic power generation. As a result, approximately 943,882 kWh of electricity could be generated annually as of 2023, exceeding the train’s electricity consumption during all months. In August, when the train’s electricity consumption was at its peak, and in December, when photovoltaic power generation was at its lowest, photovoltaic power generation was approximately 3.8 times and 2.7 times the train’s electricity consumption, respectively. Additionally, a reduction of approximately 415 tons of CO₂ emissions annually was estimated. This study presents a practical methodology for evaluating the potential of photovoltaic systems installed along railway and concludes that they can effectively meet the electricity demands of electric train operations.