Eco Factor: Regenerative braking systems to generate electricity for the grid.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), which runs the largest transit system in Philadelphia, is demonstrating the use of a new smart electrical grid technology that will help reduce its electricity bills by as much as 40 percent, while generate millions of dollars each year. The new technology is based on the use of regenerative braking systems on trains, which will generate electricity whenever brakes are applied.
The generated electricity will be stored in large-scale batteries, which can use the energy to accelerate trains and can also sell extra power back to the regional power grid. The pilot project will involve the installation of the system on one of the 38 substations, which is expected to bring in about $500,000 a year.
In the project, a special battery technology will be paired with software from a Philadelphia-based smart grid company called Viridity Energy. The software will decide how to allocated power stored in the battery, using it to drive trains or sell it to various electricity markets.
Funded by a $900,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority, the pilot project will be selecting a battery technology that can quickly absorb power and discharge stored energy for hundreds and thousands of cycles.
Via: Technology Review
