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4 January 2016

London Underground tests system for recapturing energy used in braking

The London Underground has found positive results after testing technology that recaptures the energy used in braking, feeding it back into the mains. The tests showed that the system will reduce the London Underground’s energy bill by 5 percent, saving £6 million per year. Around 1MWh per day is saved by the inverter energy capture system, which is enough to power 37 homes.

More commonly associated with hybrid and electric cars, the technology works through capturing the energy usually dissipated as heat during braking and returning it to the system. The London Underground version is essentially a much larger model of the version used in cars.

Since less heat will be produced, stations will also need to run their cooling systems less, providing an added benefit. The move is part of Transport for London’s, the government body responsible for most public transport in the British capital, drive to make public transport more energy efficient and to reduce their carbon footprint.

For more information, visit Tree Hugger.