Metro Underground, Barcelona, Spain. Image Credit: Ed Lallo / Getty Images
Environment SpainGreen Metro Initiative Turns Friction into Power
Four metro stations in the Catalan capital of Barcelona, Spain, serve as ultra-fast chargers. The energy produced through breaking is used to power the trains, fuel station amenities, and charge electric vehicles (EVs).
“We’re trying to take advantage of the power that’s already in the metro system and use that spare energy to feed EV chargers on the street,” explains Marc Iglesias, head of sustainable mobility at Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona, a regional agency working with Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona on the project.
The MetroCHARGE project includes four electric gas stations – or electrolineas in Spanish – equipped with an ultra-fast charger outside their premises; it will soon expand to three stations. Every time a train comes to a stop, the friction is converted to electricity fed and distributed throughout the subway system. One-third powers the trains; the rest powers the nearby EV chargers, the lights illuminating the station, and the escalators taking the passengers to the platforms. Once all the inverters are up and running, regenerative braking should provide 41% of the energy needed to power the trains. This renewable energy source is expected to save about 3.885 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually.