A solar-powered bus station that provides up-to-date passenger information on energy-saving screens, serves as a wifi hotspot and allows people to recharge their phones, is now a reality thanks to the efforts of a Polish company. The Helio Smart Shelter could soon also be equipped with the technology to recognise dangerous situations and alert emergency services.
- 29 October 2020
"The stop is equipped with cameras that monitor the surroundings. Additionally, we plan to equip the stop's electronics with artificial intelligence, which will recognise dangerous, and potentially dangerous situations, and signal them to operators who watch over the safety of the city. Other functionalities are dynamic lighting, the option to recharge your cellphone, and using the wi-fi hotspot or internet.”
The shelter’s electricity is generated solely by photovoltaic modules integrated into its walls and roof. Dynamically controlled lighting saves energy.
A wireless hotspot enables public transport users to access the internet, while they can also recharge their mobile phones and other portable devices – both wirelessly and by cable. Surveillance cameras are fitted to ensure passenger safety.
Structural and energy functions
Based in the town of Czerwionka-Leszczyny, in the Śląskie region of southern Poland, Helioenergia specialises in solutions that use photovoltaics – technology that converts solar energy into electricity – to provide power for public spaces.
One of the main aims of Helioenergia’s work is to integrate photovoltaic technology into architectural elements such as façades, railings and roofing so that they produce electricity while fulfilling their structural functions. The company first came up with the idea of an energy-self-sufficient bus stop in around 2016, in response to the global trend towards the development of smart cities.
Smart cities use digital and telecommunications technologies to collect information. This is processed and analysed to improve the use of resources and boost the efficiency of services like transport, water supply, waste disposal, lighting and heating for the benefit of inhabitants and businesses. The Helio Smart Shelter was designed to fit into the architecture of contemporary, information-driven urban areas.
The prototype
A prototype of the shelter was presented at the 24th UN Climate Change Conference, in Katowice in December 2018. Although its functionalities were still incomplete at the time, it attracted the attention of residents and representatives of public authorities from around the world. Many of them expressed an interest in deploying similar solutions in their cities.
Thanks to its innovative use of solar power, the shelter is environmentally friendly. Moreover, as its structure is modular, it can be supplemented with additional technologies, thereby bringing further benefits for passengers.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Autonomous public transport stop with built-in dynamic passenger information system” is EUR 1 180 000 (PLN 5 275 665), with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 800 000 (PLN 3 556 348) through the “Śląskie Voivodeship” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Network infrastructures in transport and energy”.