Return on Investment from Rail Transit Use of Wayside Energy Storage Systems

New trains with AC propulsion promise higher performance that reduces starting energy use, regenerates braking energy savings, lower maintenance, and a broadens the range of operating conditions. However, some Transit Operators have found that these new trains have not fully achieved the expected regenerated energy savings. Transit Operators have also experienced traction power problems such as severe voltage sag or train low voltage shutdown due to the increased power demand of these higher performance AC trains. An effective Energy Storage System (ESS) can resolve these problems at a favorable capital cost. Candidate ESS technologies include flywheels, supercapacitors, and batteries. This paper analyzes the ESS economic benefits in two dimensions: energy and power savings, and capital costs to correct voltage sag. These costs are used to calculate a return on investment (ROI) for a range of ESS cost inputs, at two typical US transit systems: an urban subway system with 10-car trains and a suburban light rail line that runs trains of two to four railcars. ROIs range between 15% and 35% depending on the ratings, conditions, and usage of the rail system and ESS. The paper then presents results of a rail network simulation quantifying ESS performance in supporting traction power voltage on a dense East Coast electric commuter railroad.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/7p
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Full conference proceedings available on CD-ROM.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Public Transportation Association

  1666 K Street, NW, Suite 1100
  Washington, DC  United States  20006
• Authors:
  • Romo, Louis
  • Turner, David
  • Ponzio, John
• Conference:
  • Rail Transit Conference, 2005
  • Location: Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, United States
  • Date: 2005-6-5 to 2005-6-8
• Publication Date: 2005

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 9p
• Monograph Title: Rail Transit Conference Proceedings, 2005

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Capital costs; Energy storage systems; Maintenance; Operations; Performance evaluations; Propulsion; Rail transit; Return on investment; Traction; Transit operators; Voltage; Wayside signals
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Energy; Maintenance and Preservation; Public Transportation; Railroads; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01002157
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 1931594155
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 20 2005 12:39PM