Ingeteam Technology Reduces CO2 Emissions by 40% in Brussels Metro
Ingeteam has been selected by the Brussels metro operator (Brussels Inter-communal Transport Company or STIB) to supply five energy recovery systems which, together with other measures, will allow the company to lower its C02 emissions by 40% from now until 2030 and to cut its energy bill. One of these Ingeteam systems has already been installed in the Metro and, after confirming its good results, it was decided to increase the number of systems installed.
The Brussels metro is one of the most modern metros in Europe, as it started operating in 1976. It has seven lines, 69 stations and more than 130 million users per year.
Within the framework of its commitment to sustainability, the STIB is implementing new measures to optimise energy consumption. With this aim in mind, the Ingeteam Ingeber technology was selected for its ability to recover between 10 to 30% of railway traction energy. Trains not only consume energy, but also produce energy through the heat generated during braking. Ingeteam has developed its own technology to recover this train braking energy.
After four years of investigation by the Ingeteam Traction Division and a three million Euro investment, the company has developed a system to convert this braking heat into electrical energy to be returned to the power grid. This system is ideal for sub-urban trains, trams and metros, given the fact that these are all required to make many stops, which is precisely when the Ingeber recovers the heat energy.
Currently five of these systems have been installed in the Bilbao Metro, a further three in Bielefeld (Germany) and another in Malaga, for ADIF. With regard to the Bilbao metro, of the total amount of energy recovered using these systems, 30% goes to the sub-urban railway and 60% to the grid. Thanks to this technology, the metro returns to the grid the equivalent of the annual power consumed by 1,500 families. As far as the Malaga and Bielefeld projects are concerned, in the course of the first year Ingeber made it possible to recover 1 million kWh and 650.000 kWh / per year, respectively.