The energy guzzlers...
Airports and train stations are by their nature largely open buildings and whose energy losses can be colossal. Activities as varied as passengers, freight or industrial and equipment maintenance activities also have different specifications, particularly for the notion of comfort for travelers so as not to affect their experience and encourage attendance.
Energy sources are also numerous and their distribution spread over large areas: hot water, cooling water, drinking water, gas and other petroleum derivatives, low, medium and high voltage electricity, cogeneration, solar self-production, wind turbines, pumps heat, compressed air, etc. all present opportunities for substantial savings and gains by identifying losses and providing a good overall view of energy expenditure.
Two aspects are predominant:
– The colossal consumption of facilities such as stations and airports: Aéroports de Paris, which manages the Charles-de-Gaulle, Orly and Bourget platforms, bought 488,427 MWh in 2013 (source latribune.fr)
– The service obligation which also entails a significant cost because any “black-out” is strictly prohibited. Imagine a control tower or traffic management posts suddenly without power as planes are approaching…
For stations, the example of the SNCF speaks for itself: The group is the first industrial consumer of electricity in France with more than 9000 GWh per year, i.e. approximately the production of a nuclear power plant, 81% of which is for the traction of 15,000 trains operated daily, 16% to operate buildings (stations, offices, workshops, etc.) and 3% for the road (mainly service vehicles).
After the renovation of the St Lazare station in Paris, energy saving measures led to an immediate saving of 20% of the electricity budget devoted to the building (excluding traction energy).
