Saving energy in DC Railway Systems

In DC low voltage railway systems, the cross section of the catenary wires should be increased to optimise energy efficiency. Choosing such a larger cross section is economically sound for new electrifications, or when the system needs to be upgraded anyway.

A premature replacement of the catenary wires is cost-efficient if it doesn’t require a reinforcement of the support portals.

These are the conclusions of the following report, studying the 1.5 kV DC railway system in the Netherlands. The savings potential is estimated to be 2% of the electricity consumption of the Dutch railways. For Europe, the energy savings could amount to 240 GWh/year.