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Harvesting Untapped Energy Reserves in Urban Areas

Movement in any form - a jogger speeding, a vehicle accelerating, or a train progressing on tracks - all necessitate energy. This energy associated with motion, scientists label as kinetic energy. The quicker something travels, and the greater its mass, the more kinetic energy it accumulates.

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The fundamental concept under discussion here is kinetic energy, which is the power that propels...
The fundamental concept under discussion here is kinetic energy, which is the power that propels objects in motion. This energy increases in proportion to the speed and mass of the object. For instance, a swift-moving runner, a speeding car, or a massive train all exhibit kinetic energy as they travel.

Harvesting Untapped Energy Reserves in Urban Areas

Wasting Energy No More: Harnessing Kinetic Energy in Our Urban Railways

Ever wondered about the energy used up by the runner sprinting, car zooming, or train barreling through the city? Scientifically known as kinetic energy, it's all around us. But have you ever thought about what happens to this energy when a train slows down or stops?

Take, for instance, the colossal Riyadh metro in Saudi Arabia, decked out with our cutting-edge Urbalis CBTC signaling system and HESOP regenerative braking technology. Traditional braking systems have relied on friction or braking resistors, converting that kinetic energy into heat and dissipating it into the air—much like a sprinter coming to a brisk halt, only to have their momentum vanish as warmth. This inefficiency, when multiplied across busy railway lines, amounts to a jaw-dropping energy waste.

Given our world's increasing focus on reducing energy usage, such squandered energy has sparked a global alarm. The concern stems from various factors, including tackling climate change by lowering carbon emissions, fostering energy independence and security, and the simple economic reality that energy costs money. So finding ways to make the most of our resources and do more with less has become a strategic and economic priority for cities and railway operators worldwide.

And when it comes to energy efficiency, rail already reigns supreme. Since the 1990s, the addition of regenerative braking has taken this efficiency to even greater heights. Instead of losing kinetic energy as heat, trains can now convert it back into electricity, which can power neighboring trains accelerating simultaneously. But what if there's no nearby train to benefit from this surplus energy? That's where smart engineering comes in, with systems like HESOP designed to capture this excess energy.

Think of HESOP as a two-lane electrical highway in the railway network; conventional electrical substations allow power to flow one way—from the grid to the train to propel it forward—but HESOP is different; it's reversible. When there's excess braking energy available, HESOP can receive that power and send it back to nearby rail stations or the main electricity grid for broader use.

Driven by a desire for sustainability, Alstom boasts 136 reversible substations worldwide, slashing the number of substations needed for new railway lines by 20%. Moreover, its HESOP technology boasts a capture rate of 99% of recoverable energy during braking, tackling the issue of energy waste head-on.

As explained by Carsten Soeffker, Alstom's Master expert for Energy Management, "Essentially, HESOP turns the train into a temporary power source during braking. Instead of dissipating that energy as heat, we convert it and send it back. We're seeing recovery efficiencies previously unachievable for this type of application, capturing close to 100% of the available energy during braking and putting it back into the system or the grid where it can be used."

The real-world impact of this technology is striking. In Hamburg, Germany, where HESOP has been helping the metro since 2020, the system recovered an impressive 1042 megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy in just one year—roughly the equivalent of the annual electricity consumption for 300-400 typical European households, though this number can vary depending on factors like house size, climate, and heating types.[1]

Recovering this energy means less power needs to be generated elsewhere, cutting carbon emissions and making cities greener. Plus, HESOP helps clean up the air by minimizing braking dust, creating a fresher, healthier environment for metro passengers. Beyond environmental benefits and savings on electricity bills, this intelligent energy management also contributes to the stability of the power supply, increasing overall system reliability even under heavy load.[1]

Backing the UN's Sustainable Development Goals

Innovations like regenerative braking and energy recovery not only boost rail efficiency but also help cities meet global sustainability targets by reducing emissions and optimizing energy use. As Philippe Bertrand, the Infrastructure solutions director, put it:

"Smart mobility solutions like this show the future of infrastructure taking shape. It's substantial, interconnected, and fundamentally built around sustainability. Reclaiming energy is not simply an operational benefit; it embodies the core philosophy of creating resilient, low-carbon transit systems essential for our growing cities to meet global environmental goals. It's about imbuing sustainability in every aspect of rail design and operation."

  1. Regenerative Braking: A Single Solution Providing Energy Savings
  2. Services: Securing Optimal Performance Throughout the Lifecycle
  3. Wireless Power Solutions: Tramway Operations Without Overhead Cables
  4. Enrichment Data:HESOP Regenerative Braking Technology

HESOP (Harmonious Energy Saving Optimisation) technology is a regenerative braking solution used in rail systems to boost energy efficiency and cut carbon emissions. Here's how it works and its practical applications:

Working Mechanism

  1. Regenerative Braking: When a train brakes, its kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy instead of being wasted as heat. The train's motors act as generators during braking, capturing the excess energy that would typically be squandered.[1][2]
  2. Energy Recycling: The captured energy is then fed back into the grid or used to power other trains in the system, enhancing overall efficiency and decreasing the need for external energy resources.[1][3]

Real-World Applications

  • Energy Conservation: Systems like HESOP can significantly reduce energy consumption by recovering substantial quantities of the braking energy. For instance, the Riyadh Metro uses Alstom's HESOP system to recycle braking energy, saving approximately 6.6 million kWh per year.[5]
  • Environmental Impact: By decreasing the reliance on fossil fuels and reducing emissions through regenerative braking, solutions like HESOP contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly transportation system.[2][3]
  • Economic Advantages: The energy savings achieved via regenerative braking translate into cost savings for rail operators, making it a fiscally viable solution alongside its environmental advantages.[1]

In essence, HESOP regenerative braking technology revolutionizes the way we manage energy in rail systems, harnessing kinetic energy during braking and recycling it for further use. This multi-pronged approach enhances energy efficiency, decreases carbon emissions, and contributes to a more eco-friendly transportation system, ultimately supporting global environmental targets and economic prosperity.

  1. The HESOP technology in Alstom's Urbalis CBTC signaling system, used in Riyadh metro's regenerative braking, transforms kinetic energy usually wasted as heat into electrical energy.
  2. This converted energy can be sent back to nearby railway stations or the main electricity grid, making cities more sustainable by reducing energy waste and lowering carbon emissions.
  3. By optimizing kinetic energy, HESOP contributes to the strategic and economic priority of making the most of resources while doing more with less, in line with the world's increasing focus on energy efficiency.
  4. The capture rate of recoverable energy during braking with HESOP technology is 99%, addressing the issue of energy inefficiency associated with traditional braking systems.
  5. With regenerative braking technology like HESOP, rail systems can be made more environmentally-friendly and offer financial benefits, aligning with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals for reducing emissions and optimizing energy use.

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