The Chicago Transit AuthoritySustainability Initiatives
CTA is the second largest public transit agency in the nation, providing 1.7 million public transit
rides every weekday…
…on buses and trains serving the City of Chicago and 35 surrounding suburbs.
Nearly 85% of CTA’s $106 million annual energy budget is to purchase diesel for buses and electricity for trains.
Energy by Volume
Commodity Volume
Diesel Gas (Gallons-Millions)
18.3
Electricity – “L” Trains (GWh)
454
Electricity – Facilities (GWh)
135
Natural Gas (Dekatherms)
678,000
CTA Utility Costs by Type (In $millions)
Data source: CTA, Ameresco, Constellation
2015 CTA Energy Consumption & Costs
Confidential Draft 3
Diesel Fuel,
$60MElectricity - "L" Trains,
$30 M
Electricity-Facilities,
$10M
Natural Gas, $5M Water, $1M
Total: $106M
• CTA’s bus fleet of 1,890 runs on ultra low-sulfur diesel fuel.
• CTA has improved fuel efficiency by 28% through the purchase of new, cleaner bus vehicles.
• CTA operates more than 250 hybrid buses, nearly 15% of the bus fleet
Improving Fuel efficiency in CTA bus fleet
Fleet-wide emissions have reduced by 70% since 2007
Confidential Draft 5
Fuel efficiency in bus fleet – Current pilot
Benefits• Reduced emissions and
better air quality• Reduced noise• $25k annual net savings
in fuel costs per bus• Positive and reliable
performance to date, even through winter
CTA’s two all-electric busesPhoto credit: CTA website
Features• 80-120 miles per charge;
3-5 hours to fully charge• Funded by grants from USDOT (TIGGER
grant) & CMAP (CMAQ grant)• Manufactured by New Flyer
As of October 2015, CTA’s two all-electric buses have been in service a full year, demonstrating reliable performance and lower operating costs.
Electric efficiency in CTA’s rail fleetCTA’s new “5000 series” rail cars (about 700 of 1,410 cars in the rail fleet now) feature the latest energy-saving technologies in the industry.
Photo source: CTA
Regenerative braking returns energy to the
third rail
Improved door seals
LED lighting
Advanced controls to calibrate heating, ventilation and air
conditioning
5,000 lbs heavier than older cars, but consume 23% less peak energy at
55 MPH
Energy efficient alternating current
(AC) propulsion
CTA is pursuing opportunities to advance innovative energy initiatives.
A. Wayside energy storageB. Deeper energy efficiency improvements at
facilitiesC. Renewable energy generation
Confidential Draft 8
Proposed technology: Wayside energy storage – How it works
1. Two trains with no re-gen braking, one decelerating and one accelerating
Energy from braking is not captured. It dissipates as heat through resistors on the braking train.
2. A decelerating train with re-gen braking and another train accelerating at the same time
Energy from the braking train helps accelerate another train at that same point in time.
3. A decelerating train with re-gen braking and no nearby train accelerating
Energy from the braking train cannot be used at that same point in time; it dissipates as heat.
4. Two trains with re-gen braking, plus a wayside energy storage system (WESS)
The WESS stores energy from braking trains. The energy can be used later or sold back to the grid.
WESS
Energy efficiency in facilities – Priorities
Boilers at the CTA Midway rail vehicle service facilityPhoto credit: SEDAC
The CTA Facilities Department has made significant progress in identifying, evaluating, and implementing projects that increase building energy efficiency.
Over the past four years, the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC) has evaluated over 35 CTA facilities and provided 13 reports with energy efficiency project recommendations, costs, and savings estimates.
Critical replacements, payback times, service quality benefits, and health/safety benefits all drive prioritization of energy efficiency upgrades.
Confidential Draft
Energy efficiency in facilities – ProjectsCTA’s 2015 energy efficiency accomplishments to date:Completed• Loop, Purple, and Red Line Stations & Chicago
Garage – Replaced T12s with T8s.• Midway & 98th Terminals, 74th and 103rd St Bus
garages – Upgraded Service Pit Lighting.• Rosemont, Midway, and 98th Rail Shops –
Upgraded yard lighting.• Facilities system-wide – Upgraded to LED exit
signs and installed occupancy sensorsWork in progress• Red & Blue Line subways – Repairing/replacing
subway fan and louver systems• Conducting system-wide replacement and/or
retro-commissioning of boilers• Replacing 50 exterior doors identified to be in
need of immediate replacement
Confidential Draft
Renewable Energy Generation – Exploration
CTA’s future plans:• CTA is continuing to research the technology and economics of
solar PV, whether on rooftops or along right-of-ways.• CTA is considering a small-scale pilot solar PV installation on the
roof of a new bus turn-around currently in the design phase.• Pilot a Wayside Energy Storage System (WESS)
For more information on CTA and its Green initiatives, http://www.transitchicago.com/goinggreen/
Heather Ferguson [email protected] Ballard [email protected]