SMRT Trains has worked with Thales of France to develop next-generation rail signaling technologies for greener rides in Singapore. Both organizations will collaborate on “The Next-Generation Green CBTC Project,” which is expected to help SMRT Trains achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
The project’s primary goal is to reduce electricity consumption while also improving the traction energy efficiency of the North-South and East-West lines (NSEWL). Thales’ SelTrac communications-based train control (CBTC) system was first installed on NSEWL in 2017. Because NSEWL is controlled by CBTC signaling, traction-related actions such as acceleration, braking, and coasting are controlled by the automatic train operation (ATO) system.
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The Next-Generation Green CBTC Project
Singapore’s Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) systems operate on inherently green traction power, making them an environmentally sustainable alternative. Thales‘ automatic train control (ATC) system combines intelligent and environmentally friendly CBTC algorithms.
These algorithms aid in the operation of an automated and driverless train. They follows optimized curves to save energy and increase punctuality. Both organizations will now concentrate on further developing next-generation Green CBTC algorithms. Thus, they will help to assess the operational efficiency of their green features using data analytics. The collaboration will also investigate the potential applications of the new intelligent application. This will help to reduce the traction energy of the NSEW lines by 15%.
“This joint development of the Next-Generation Green CBTC system on NSEWL is a project that shows SMRT’s commitment to long-term sustainability and net-zero emissions,” said SMRT Trains president Lam Sheau Kai. “We are delighted to collaborate with Thales for an enabled energy-efficient train operation.” Any reduction in energy consumption in our operations will contribute to increased productivity and financial sustainability. This is due to the rising cost of electricity.” Thales was awarded a long-term services (LTSS) contract by SMRT Trains in July of this year.
