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The AGV: clean and energy-efficient
With an extremely reduced carbon footprint, containing nearly 98% of recyclable or reusable materials and with an energy recoverable braking system, the AGV has been designed from the outset with environmental concerns in mind.
Environmental issues, heightened by concerns over the rising cost of energy and growing urbanisation, heavily influenced Alstom’s engineers during the AGV’s design and development phases. Using almost 98% of easily reusable materials (aluminium, steel, copper and glass), the AGV is a sustainable mode of transport, with very small greenhouse gas emissions. It emits only 2.2 g of CO2 per passenger km, 13 times less than a bus (30g), 50 times less than a car (115g) and 70 times less than a plane (153g). *
Energy recovery brake
The AGV is also capable of producing and using its own electricity. Its braking system consists of a combined rheostat brake and energy recovery brake. When the energy generated by the motors during the braking phase is not consumed by the train, it can be fed back into the electric grid. During braking phases, the power fed back into the grid can reach 8 MW.
Aero-acoustic research
Minimising noise was another environmental aspect which Alstom’s engineers tried particularly hard to address. A present-day train travelling at 330 kph generates twice as much noise as when it is running at 300 kph. As well as having noise insulation materials and bogies positioned between the carriages to limit the noise produced by the moving train, the AGV benefits from research into its aero-acoustics and especially those of its lead carriage. The result? The noise inside the AGV at 360 kph is the same as that of its main competitors at 300 or 320 kph – thanks to the specially designed shape of its nose and the addition of air deflectors on the bogies.
* Source : ADEME ; refers to the rate of CO2 emissions per kW/h of electricity produced in France
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