Page 89 - European Energy Innovation - Summer 2015 publication
P. 89
Summer 2015 European Energy Innovation 89
RAIL TRANSPORT
more polluting mode will result of Shift2Rail are ambitious yet
in environmental benefits. simple, and mirror those of the
Nevertheless, the past and future ERRAC and the EU Transport
research work of the European strategies that is: to increase
rail sector takes special aim on the capacity and reliability of
research that boosts the energy the European rail system while
efficiency and reduces the carbon reducing the lifecycle cost.
footprint of the entire rail system. Modal shift is at its heart and
OSIRIS, a recently concluded the initiative recognises the
FP7 Rail Research Project and environmental benefits that
MERLIN, an ongoing research will stem from a more attractive
project both endeavoured to rail system. Nevertheless, the
improve the energy efficiency of Shift2Rail technical programme
the rail transport system. OSIRIS will also work to make the system
has developed optimal strategies more energy efficient and, thus,
to innovate and reduce energy increasingly green. As such,
consumption of urban rail systems written into the Shift2Rail Master
to reach a reduction of overall Plan is a transversal objective of
energy consumption of Europe’s energy and sustainability that will
urban rail systems by 10% of be integrated in all five innovation
existing levels by 2020. Similarly, programmes and the numerous
MERLIN is developing new technology demonstrators. In
decision making support tools fact, with sustained, large-scale
and operational real time energy projects like Shift2Rail, the sector
management algorithms for expects that it would be able to
smart railway networks. Another halve the overall energy usage
project that was concluded a few of the rail system in the next ten
years back, CleanER-D, focused years!
on improving the environmental
performance of diesel traction, Through ERRAC and its many
which represents only 20% of partners, collaborative European-
European rail traffic. lead rail research is alive and
well and focused on making the
ERRAC has been a trusted system both more attractive to
supporter and advisor of the end users and more sustainable.
Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking Both of these aspirations will
which is currently being set lead to a reduced environmental
up. This initiative with its €920 impact of the transport sector
million of funding represents of which rail not only remains
a massive increase in funding the greenest mode, but also the
for collaborative rail research only mode with the potential
from both the sector and the EU. of becoming completely green
While the technical programme (usage of only renewable energy)
of Shift2Rail is a massive due to the extensive electrification
undertaking, the overall goals of the rail network. l
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
RAIL TRANSPORT
more polluting mode will result of Shift2Rail are ambitious yet
in environmental benefits. simple, and mirror those of the
Nevertheless, the past and future ERRAC and the EU Transport
research work of the European strategies that is: to increase
rail sector takes special aim on the capacity and reliability of
research that boosts the energy the European rail system while
efficiency and reduces the carbon reducing the lifecycle cost.
footprint of the entire rail system. Modal shift is at its heart and
OSIRIS, a recently concluded the initiative recognises the
FP7 Rail Research Project and environmental benefits that
MERLIN, an ongoing research will stem from a more attractive
project both endeavoured to rail system. Nevertheless, the
improve the energy efficiency of Shift2Rail technical programme
the rail transport system. OSIRIS will also work to make the system
has developed optimal strategies more energy efficient and, thus,
to innovate and reduce energy increasingly green. As such,
consumption of urban rail systems written into the Shift2Rail Master
to reach a reduction of overall Plan is a transversal objective of
energy consumption of Europe’s energy and sustainability that will
urban rail systems by 10% of be integrated in all five innovation
existing levels by 2020. Similarly, programmes and the numerous
MERLIN is developing new technology demonstrators. In
decision making support tools fact, with sustained, large-scale
and operational real time energy projects like Shift2Rail, the sector
management algorithms for expects that it would be able to
smart railway networks. Another halve the overall energy usage
project that was concluded a few of the rail system in the next ten
years back, CleanER-D, focused years!
on improving the environmental
performance of diesel traction, Through ERRAC and its many
which represents only 20% of partners, collaborative European-
European rail traffic. lead rail research is alive and
well and focused on making the
ERRAC has been a trusted system both more attractive to
supporter and advisor of the end users and more sustainable.
Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking Both of these aspirations will
which is currently being set lead to a reduced environmental
up. This initiative with its €920 impact of the transport sector
million of funding represents of which rail not only remains
a massive increase in funding the greenest mode, but also the
for collaborative rail research only mode with the potential
from both the sector and the EU. of becoming completely green
While the technical programme (usage of only renewable energy)
of Shift2Rail is a massive due to the extensive electrification
undertaking, the overall goals of the rail network. l
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
