Smart Mobility in Cities: GIS Analysis of Solar PV Potential for Lighting in Bus Shelters in the City of Ávila

The reduction of CO₂ emissions in cities implies the generation of clean energy for the supply of the municipal energy demand. In the conversion to Smart Cities, the consumption sources and the generation possibilities should be considered as a whole, in such a way that all the urban elements can be integrated in the energy mix. In this study, bus shelters are evaluated as potential energy generators. The installation of PV panels with the optimal configuration can contribute to the supply of the energy needed in the bus shelter, but also to the generation of surplus energy. The analysis of the possibilities and the definition of the recommendable configuration of PV installations in bus shelters are performed using the city of Ávila (Spain) as case study. In this city, the PV generation reached with the optimal configuration (3500 kWh/year) can cover the energy demand of the bus shelters, including their role as lighting points in the city, and being able to contribute to other energy demands. For this study, geospatial information and a solar radiation model are incorporated in a Geospatial Information System (GIS) tool, specially developed to replicate this study in other cities.