Alstom and Hamburger Hochbahn to implement Hesop energy recovery substation

18 September 2018 – Today, Alstom and Hamburger Hochbahn AG (HOCHBAHN) signed a letter of intent to test Alstom’s energy recovery substation Hesop in Hamburg, Germany. The actual order is expected at the beginning of 2019. Hesop converts and transfers any unused power, generated by trains during braking, to the medium voltage grid for re-use within the network.

“Hesop is our response to operators’ need for enhanced energy efficiency. We are looking forward to introducing our system to Germany. It is an important puzzle piece for the eco-friendly public transportation of the future offering unique economic and environmental benefits,” says Dr. Jörg Nikutta, Managing Director for Alstom in Germany and Austria. 

The Hesop control system ensures that the energy is recovered via the most efficient route that the infrastructure will permit. Hesop allows recovering more than 99 percent of the braking energy which is otherwise partially lost, thereby reducing CO2 emissions through reduced energy consumption. 

Hesop benefits from four years of worldwide experience. Because of its wide range of voltage and power configurations, Hesop has already been adopted by a multitude of different networks: from metros in Milan, Riyadh, London, Dubai and Panama to tramways in Sydney and Milan.