UK: Alstom's Harmonic & Energy Saving Optimiser energy recovery technology is to be trialled on London Underground's Victoria Line under a €1m contract awarded by UK Power Networks Services.The HESOP inverting substation equipment will be installed at the Cloudesley Road substation until 2014, feeding energy regenerated by braking trains back into the traction power supply or returning it to the grid when not required by accelerating trains. The HESOP system is already in use at Bobigny-Pablo Picasso stop on Paris tram line T1. According to Alstom, HESOP can recover more than 99% of the traction energy generated during braking, and as well as reducing energy requirements it could also help reduce temperatures in the deep tube tunnels. More...
