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As part of its efforts to encourage a shift towards clean public transport fleets, the city of Ghent is substituting diesel with B30 and optimising the energy consumption of trams.
The PT company De Lijn wanted to increase the cleanliness of the present trams by reducing electricity consumption on trams after conducting an energy audit on a “measuring” tram. The results of this enery audit lead to a proposal of a consistent package of new actions as reducing cold air import, defining variable set point for inside temperature, defining variable intake of fresh air, and reducing ventilation in function of outside temperature and when doors are open, towards less energy consumption on trams. This proposal is implemented in the existing trams and introduced in new tendering procedures.
Deviations from the original plan were:
A CIVITAS branded tram is operating in the Ghent city centre and is called the meter tram. This tram is meticulously measuring the energy used when driving. The main energy consumers such as heaters and pneumatic air suspension will then be mapped out, the temperature will be recorded, along with other monitoring measures. On the basis of this data, De Lijn will adapt all their trams in order to reduce energy consumption and costs to an absolute minimum.
Gent expects the measure will:
Introducing B30 in public transport buses failed, as no warranties are given by the bus manufactures. To remove this barrier in the future, the existing calls for tender are extended with a passage on the B30-proofness of new buses. The second reason for failure of implementation of bio diesel is that according to De Lijn, no guarantee can be given that the production of B30 will not detriment of the human food chain.
Reducing energy consumption on trams after conducting an energy audit on a tram. The results of the enery audit lead to a proposal of a consistent package of new actions as reducing cold air import, defining variable set point for inside temperature, defining variable intake of fresh air, and reducing ventilation in function of outside temperature and when doors are open, towards less energy consumption on trams. This proposal is introduced in new tendering procedures
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