Trains that put themselves in sleep mode, a heat pump that provides heating in the winter and cooling in the summer, and LED lighting instead of outdated fluorescent tubes: SBB is already working hard to make sure that its older vehicles save as much energy as possible on the move. In fact, we wrote a report about our efforts last year.
But in our newer vehicles too, there’s still room for improvement when it comes to energy consumption. One of these newer models is the double-deck multiple-unit train DTZ, which has been in use on the Zurich S-Bahn network for ten years, helping to transport some 450,000 passengers from A to B every day. Last year, SBB made a few adjustments to the software for the vehicle control system. This is the “brain” of the vehicle and controls all of the electric and pneumatic devices in a train. Vehicles now use additional signals to control the heating, only adjusting the temperature of the train if it contains any passengers.
The display has also been updated for the engine driver. The speedometer in the driver’s cab now indicates what position the brake switch has to be in for the train to brake using exclusively electrical energy. This helps to feed as much energy as possible back into the network when braking. Thanks to this new programming, the DTZ trains now use one-eighth less power – a saving of 13 GWh per year, or the energy consumed by 3,250 Swiss households. To put it another way, one single DTZ train could use this energy to travel around the globe 50 times.
But that’s not all: the energy specialists have gone even further, working with the manufacturer to eliminate yet more energy guzzlers.For example, in future, the heating and air-conditioning in a parked train will only be powered in one half, enabling any power supply components that are no longer needed to be safely switched off. The light will also be turned off completely and the bioreactor in the toilet deactivated when the train is parked. This saves energy and reduces the amount of noise generated in this parked position. Work will begin on these new measures at the various SBB workshops this summer, with the upgrades scheduled to be completed by 2019.
While SBB is doing its bit to save energy by using new technology, you too can make a few changes to your daily life and use resources more responsibly. If you’d like to find out more about saving energy and renewable energy sources, we recommend downloading the Energy Challenge app. It contains handy tips for everyday life and also lets you track your energy use and take part in regular quizzes for the chance to win great prizes. Find out more about the Energy Challenge 2016.
Der Beitrag Saving energy on the move with the Zurich S-Bahn. erschien zuerst auf SBB Blog..