"International EU-Funded collaborative initiatives such as CleanER-D (Grant Agreement No.FP7-234338) OSIRIS (Grant agreement No. SCP1-GA-2011-284868), Roll2Rail (Grant agreement No. 636032) and RailEnergy (Grant Agreement No. TIP5-CT-2006-031458), have already successfully identified technologies able to contribute to the optimisation of energy usage as well as developing tools that support the assessment of individual solutions, both for mainline and urban applications. Other projects such as MERLIN (Grant agreement No. FP7 – 314125) have gone beyond these to provide modelling architectures for an integrated optimisation approach that includes multiple elements, dynamic forecasting supply-demand scenarios and cost considerations to support operational and strategic decisions leading to an intelligent management of energy and resources.
OPEUS has built on the outcomes of these projects. Specifically, the OPEUS approach has three components at its core:
I. the energy simulation model;
II. the energy use requirements (e.g. duty cycles)
III. the energy usage outlook and optimisation strategies recommendation.
OPEUS has integrated in its research urban and suburban rail systems which represent the most significant area where energy efficient solutions can make a remarkable contribution to overall energy optimisation goals and increasing its impact. OPEUS has performed an iterative assessment of selected innovations developed as part of the Shift2Rail MAAP. These indicate that the most positive outcome, for high speed rail services running at 250km/h as per standardised duty cycle*, the combined effect of reduced weight (about 2.4% weight reduction), improved efficiency for gearbox and converters/transformers (about +1% efficiency each) results in performance improvements related to a decrease of 2% traction energy at the wheel level, which leads to a total net energy reduction of 5.4% at the energy source**.
Overall, the main contribution of OPEUS to the decarbonisation agenda is the development of a robust, stable and readily available assessment methodology and associated tool. This tool has to be the basis on which to build a more accurate, inclusive and integrated platform supporting the improvement of the already excellent railway energy usage track record.
Furthermore, through the involvement of UITP, UIC, S2R and the coordinator, OPEUS has prepared a position paper providing a clear outlook on the energy optimisation and efficiency prospect of European Rail Systems. The document concludes that only a holistic approach to energy efficiency will deliver substantial benefits towards decarbonisation. Technical measures and improvements have a key role to play in this strategy, as demonstrated in the OPEUS project. However, it is of paramount importance to frame these efforts in a wider picture consisting of:
• Land-use and urban planning approach with mobility policy and a systematic support to the most energy-efficient rail modes;
• A regulatory framework and financial incentives supporting decarbonisation and an energy/emission transition towards decarbonisation;
• Technical improvements of assets and operation, including the procurement of clean energy source where relevant and possible;
• Continued support to integrated joint activities aiming at the decarbonisation of transport and the use of rail as the core mode to achieve this.
A significant and positive coordinated effort is being made by the sector in addressing issues related to energy usage as illustrated in this document. It is suggested that these efforts continue to be supported with an emphasis on a system approach that is two-fold:
i) underpin concerted endeavours on an avoid-shift-improve approach;
ii) maximise the potential of a holistic approach that optimises technological development with implementation strategies, let these be operational, policy, incentives or a combination of these.
The transparency and availability of the results (all deliverables are public) amplifies the impact that OPEUS has in delivering energy efficiency solutions to the rail sector.
* Baseline standardised duty cycles have been produced by a combination of the information generated by previous projects (e.g. Roll2Rail), the existing draft standard prEN50591 and the joint effort of the OPEUS-FINE1 group
** Deliverable D 3.4 ""S2R innovation second periodic assessment"""
