Vancouver could soon use braking energy to charge buses

Vancouver’s transit operator TransLink is conducting a new study on using excess energy generated by its SkyTrain and trolleybus systems to charge battery-powered electric buses.

The study is a result of a 2022 Open Call for Innovation, which asked for ideas that could help reduce the carbon footprint from transportation in Metro Vancouver.

If proven feasible, the scheme could bring more transit vehicle chargers to SkyTrain stations or bus exchanges.

“We’re going to study whether we can store energy used from vehicle braking to convert into electricity that could charge electric buses” a spokesperson from TransLink told Cities Today.

“It’s very early days in the study and a timeline has not yet been solidified.”

Related ideas are being explored elsewhere. In October, Barcelona’s public transport operator TMB announced a 12-month pilot project using energy recovered from metro trains braking to charge personal e-scooters.

Electrification

Vancouver already has 262 electric trolley buses that derive their power from overhead cables.

In February 2023, TransLink announced an expansion of the city’s battery-electric bus fleet with 15 new zero-emission buses and plans to add 400 by 2030.

The operator said the new buses can travel more than 150 kilometres before needing a recharge, and can charge in approximately five minutes while customers board.

“Transit is already one of the greenest ways to travel, but these buses will make it even greener,” said Translink CEO Kevin Quinn, adding that the electric buses will save an estimated CAD$40,000 (US$53,000) a year in fuel costs, and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 1,000 tonnes annually.

The CAD$16 million funding for the new fleet comes from Canada’s community-building fund, which is administered by the Union of British Columbia Municipalities.

Electric buses are largely considered to be more energy-efficient than trolley buses, with a 2016 study in Zurich revealing that up to 20 percent of energy could be saved by equipping trolley buses with batteries.

Call for Innovation

The Open Call for Innovation is an annual call encouraging entrepreneurs, businesses, inventors and innovators to help TransLink introduce new technology in its operations and maintenance practices.

From August 1 to September 15, the operator will run its 2023 Open Call for Innovation, which will seek new ways to maintain transit infrastructure.

Some examples of ideas include: the use of drones to inspect or repair transit infrastructure; sensors or artificial intelligence platforms to better predict or identify potential hazards; and virtual or augmented reality systems or wearable technologies to improve and support maintenance.

Image: Translink