Energy Recovery

Mini ‘power plants’ on tracks

Whether it be trams or the underground – almost all of Wiener Linien’s rail-bound vehicles are already mini ‘power plants’. The energy that is released when braking is fed back into the network so that other vehicles nearby are able to use this energy when approaching.

The second-generation of the ‘silver arrows’ (underground trains), the U6 low-floor carriages and the ULF trams are already equipped with the necessary technology at the factory. Wiener Linien has since retrofitted the first-generation of silver arrows and some of the older high-floor trams.

Pilot project: Braking trains provide lighting at stations

This is good and helps us save energy. Since autumn 2016, we have been testing a pilot system on the underground network to make even better use of braking energy in the future: a so-called inverter is used to convert the underground’s direct current into alternating current, enabling it to be fed into Wiener Linien’s medium-voltage network. Braking trains can then also indirectly keep lifts and escalators moving and ensure that stations have enough lighting.