(19/01/2011)  The energy consumption for the Madrid-Valencia journey in the Levante high-speed line is 5,994.62 kW, of which 576.93 kWh are returned to the public grid by the train. Therefore, the net consumption of the train is 5,417.69 kWh (13.83 kWh per km), which, given that the price of the kWh is currently nine cents, means 487.6 euros per train.

Train drivers apply various economical driving techniques that are different depending on whether or not the train has regenerative brake. The electric regenerative brake, which is incorporated in all Renfe Operadora’s high-speed trains except the Series 100 trains, permits returning the energy dissipated in the braking to the grid.

If the train doesn’t have regenerative brake the energy saving is achieved by coasting. The most efficient thing is to apply traction until the maximum speed is reached, and then when the train is coming to a speed reduction point let it move forward by momentum, without applying traction.

If the train has regenerative brake, part of the energy dissipated in the braking is used to feed the auxiliary services of the own train. The rest of the energy, if there is another train being applied traction in the same power section, is used to feed this train, thus preventing it from consuming energy from the grid. If there isn’t another train, the energy is returned to the public grid providing there are reversible substations installed, as is the case in all Spanish high-speed lines.

In every case, the time margins established in the train commercial speed can be used to run at a speed slightly lower than the authorised maximum speed or to coast during the stops, applying the brake only at the end.