Orange Line Goes Green
April 25, 2016
ISEPTAPHILLY
Posted April 25, 2016
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is the largest public transit system in Pennsylvania and the 6th largest in the nation covering 2,200 square miles that connects businesses, residents and visitors to destinations across the region. In addition to moving people forward, SEPTA is committed to sustainability. SEPTA uses a three-pronged "people-planet-prosperity" approach to drive sustainable decision-making through the organization. SEPTA is applying this approach to the Broad Street Line (aka the Orange Line) via three major greening initiatives.
ENERGY STORAGE: In 2016 SEPTA will install energy storage devices designed to generate, capture and store the energy from braking SEPTA Broad Street Line trains. Regenerative braking occurs when a vehicle, whether an electric car or a train, uses its motor to bring it to a halt. That throws the motor in reverse and, with some minor modifications, the motor becomes a generator pumping electricity back into the source that delivered it. The problem is, without a way to store the regenerated energy, some of it is lost, dissipating as heat.
SEPTA’s first-of-its-kind energy storage project represents the first-ever fully commercial deployment of battery technology to capture this otherwise wasted energy in a transit operation. Once each system is installed, SEPTA will have access to 10.55 megawatts (MW) of energy storage capacity in its subway system. That is enough energy to continuously power 10,000 homes!
ENERGY-EFFICIENT LIGHTING: SEPTA is in the process of replacing florescent light bulbs with light emitting diodes (LEDs) on all 125 Broad Street Line cars. LED is the most energy-efficient lighting technology in the world today. Unlike incandescent and florescent bulbs, which release 90 percent of their energy as heat, LEDs waste little heat and therefore cost less to operate than a traditional bulb. SEPTA estimates the change will cut annual energy cost from lighting by almost half!
Not only is LED more energy efficient, it also lasts longer than traditional incandescent and florescent bulbs. For this reason, switching to LEDs will significantly reduce the number of bulbs that SEPTA recycles and needs to dispose of annually. Lastly, the high efficiency and directional nature of LEDs make them ideal for many industrial uses. They provide brighter, cleaner lighting in the subway vehicles which improves the atmosphere of the cars for SEPTA customers.
RECYCLING: Last but not least, SEPTA is upgrading the waste and recycling cans at all Broad Street Line passenger stations to the side-by-side waste and recycling containers. Convenience is the key to any successful recycling program. Providing adequate recycling bins next to all trash containers will ensure that there is always a convenient choice between trash and recycling.
SEPTA loves Philadelphia and every person and plant and animal that lives here which is why we’re responsible in what we do. What can you do? Riding SEPTA reduces your carbon footprint by taking cars off the road which lowers emissions and keeps our planet spinning. We think that’s an idea with which everyone can get onboard!
