The Chicago Transit AuthoritySustainability Initiatives

CTA is the second largest public transit agency in the nation, providing 1.7 million public transit

rides every weekday…

…on buses and trains serving the City of Chicago and 35 surrounding suburbs.

Nearly 85% of CTA’s $106 million annual energy budget is to purchase diesel for buses and electricity for trains.

Energy by Volume

Commodity Volume

Diesel Gas (Gallons-Millions)

18.3

Electricity – “L” Trains (GWh)

454

Electricity – Facilities (GWh)

135

Natural Gas (Dekatherms)

678,000

CTA Utility Costs by Type (In $millions)

Data source: CTA, Ameresco, Constellation

2015 CTA Energy Consumption & Costs

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Diesel Fuel,

$60MElectricity - "L" Trains,

$30 M

Electricity-Facilities,

$10M

Natural Gas, $5M Water, $1M

Total: $106M

• CTA’s bus fleet of 1,890 runs on ultra low-sulfur diesel fuel.

• CTA has improved fuel efficiency by 28% through the purchase of new, cleaner bus vehicles.

• CTA operates more than 250 hybrid buses, nearly 15% of the bus fleet

Improving Fuel efficiency in CTA bus fleet

Fleet-wide emissions have reduced by 70% since 2007

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Fuel efficiency in bus fleet – Current pilot

Benefits• Reduced emissions and

better air quality• Reduced noise• $25k annual net savings

in fuel costs per bus• Positive and reliable

performance to date, even through winter

CTA’s two all-electric busesPhoto credit: CTA website

Features• 80-120 miles per charge;

3-5 hours to fully charge• Funded by grants from USDOT (TIGGER

grant) & CMAP (CMAQ grant)• Manufactured by New Flyer

As of October 2015, CTA’s two all-electric buses have been in service a full year, demonstrating reliable performance and lower operating costs.

Electric efficiency in CTA’s rail fleetCTA’s new “5000 series” rail cars (about 700 of 1,410 cars in the rail fleet now) feature the latest energy-saving technologies in the industry.

Photo source: CTA

Regenerative braking returns energy to the

third rail

Improved door seals

LED lighting

Advanced controls to calibrate heating, ventilation and air

conditioning

5,000 lbs heavier than older cars, but consume 23% less peak energy at

55 MPH

Energy efficient alternating current

(AC) propulsion

CTA is pursuing opportunities to advance innovative energy initiatives.

A. Wayside energy storageB. Deeper energy efficiency improvements at

facilitiesC. Renewable energy generation

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Proposed technology: Wayside energy storage – How it works

1. Two trains with no re-gen braking, one decelerating and one accelerating

Energy from braking is not captured. It dissipates as heat through resistors on the braking train.

2. A decelerating train with re-gen braking and another train accelerating at the same time

Energy from the braking train helps accelerate another train at that same point in time.

3. A decelerating train with re-gen braking and no nearby train accelerating

Energy from the braking train cannot be used at that same point in time; it dissipates as heat.

4. Two trains with re-gen braking, plus a wayside energy storage system (WESS)

The WESS stores energy from braking trains. The energy can be used later or sold back to the grid.

WESS

Energy efficiency in facilities – Priorities

Boilers at the CTA Midway rail vehicle service facilityPhoto credit: SEDAC

The CTA Facilities Department has made significant progress in identifying, evaluating, and implementing projects that increase building energy efficiency.

Over the past four years, the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC) has evaluated over 35 CTA facilities and provided 13 reports with energy efficiency project recommendations, costs, and savings estimates.

Critical replacements, payback times, service quality benefits, and health/safety benefits all drive prioritization of energy efficiency upgrades.

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Energy efficiency in facilities – ProjectsCTA’s 2015 energy efficiency accomplishments to date:Completed• Loop, Purple, and Red Line Stations & Chicago

Garage – Replaced T12s with T8s.• Midway & 98th Terminals, 74th and 103rd St Bus

garages – Upgraded Service Pit Lighting.• Rosemont, Midway, and 98th Rail Shops –

Upgraded yard lighting.• Facilities system-wide – Upgraded to LED exit

signs and installed occupancy sensorsWork in progress• Red & Blue Line subways – Repairing/replacing

subway fan and louver systems• Conducting system-wide replacement and/or

retro-commissioning of boilers• Replacing 50 exterior doors identified to be in

need of immediate replacement

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Renewable Energy Generation – Exploration

CTA’s future plans:• CTA is continuing to research the technology and economics of

solar PV, whether on rooftops or along right-of-ways.• CTA is considering a small-scale pilot solar PV installation on the

roof of a new bus turn-around currently in the design phase.• Pilot a Wayside Energy Storage System (WESS)

For more information on CTA and its Green initiatives, http://www.transitchicago.com/goinggreen/

Heather Ferguson hferguson@transitchicago.comPeter Ballard pballard@transitchicago.com