(17/05/2013) 
The Ferrolinera project aims to promote the development of urban electric mobility by using the energy recovered from the braking trains and the integration of auxiliary support systems based on renewable energy through electric vehicle recharge points connected to the railway network.

This is a global pioneering project in the technological area of sustainability and energy efficiency research developed by a consortium formed by Adif, the universities of Malaga and Seville, the Andalusian Institute of Technology, Green Power Tech, Affirma Energy, MP Sistemas and MP Productividad.

Stages

The project started as Ferrolinera 1.0 at Adif’s energy laboratory in Madrid, integrating the storage of train brake energy in a flywheel and photovoltaic support system, which was implemented in a parking lot roof designed to hold the recharge point.

The concept continued as Ferrolinera 2.0, which comprises two projects. The first one uses the energy recovered from the braking trains through the high-speed catenary, feeding the first public recharge point at Malaga station since November 2011. Electric vehicle charging operations with energy from the railway system are currently being performed at this station.

The second project, known as Genera, created a prototype of a mixed wind-photovoltaic generation system that can be used in the charging operation and which is located at Adif’s Railway Technology Centre in Malaga.

At present Ferrolinera 3.0 is being developed. It incorporates a hybrid storage system based on lithium-ion batteries and electric double-layer capacitors together with the new fast charging points in alternating and direct current. It also provides a user management system.

Future

The network of electric vehicle recharge points can be expanded throughout Spain taking advantage of the potential installation sites available at 1,500 Adif’s stations and logistics terminals. Currently two recharge points are being regularly used by electric vehicles.