01/10/2014

PHILADELPHIA (Jan. 10, 2014) – ABB has been awarded a new contract by Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) to install a second ENVILINETM energy storage and recovery system for DC rail transportation. The system will be ABB’s second on SEPTA property. The second system will incorporate a “hybrid” approach to energy storage, enabling SEPTA to recover train braking energy to reduce the electricity consumption, while simultaneously generating revenues by participating in ancillary (micro-grid) services of the local Regional Transmission Organization (RTO). The system will be installed at the Griscom Substation, located on SEPTA’s Market-Frankford Line, its most heavily traveled route. The first system was installed successfully at the Letterly Substation, also along the Market-Frankford Line, in 2012. “ABB, Viridity Energy and Saft Battery partnered with SEPTA to deploy a first system in 2012. The storage systems are unique, because they benefit both the train system and the local electricity grid. We achieve energy savings and monthly revenues from frequency regulation support. Given this success, we were encouraged to move forward with a second project, and selected ABB following an open request for proposal process,” said Dave Montvydas, SEPTA manager, Power Engineering. “This time, we will go one step further and deploy a hybrid energy storage system, by combining super capacitors with batteries. We will recover more braking energy, produce higher revenues from the frequency regulation, and extend the battery life. This innovation demonstrates the full capability and flexibility of our ENVILINE platform,” says Jacques Poulin, ENVILINE product manager, ABB. “ABB has a proven track record for providing innovative solutions and this repeat order confirms our ability to become a partner and supplier of choice to operators of modern rail systems,” says Chris Poynter, vice president and general manager, Discrete Automation and Motion Division, ABB. SEPTA is a transportation authority, serving the Philadelphia region. ABB is a provider of power and automation technologies for utility and industry customers.