A world of cities

Grid stability has top priority for cities, especially with the enormous transformation that is being driven by population growth, the need for supply reliability, and the demand for sustainability placed on modern metropolises. We aid this transformation with a comprehensive solution for electricity supply, among other things, with products and systems from medium voltage switchgear to sockets. “Totally Integrated Power” is our response to questions that can arise in power transmission projects in industrial facilities, infrastructure and buildings – from planning to design to utilization. Comprehensive solutions also mean lower planning and design expenses, cheaper procurement, installation and start-up, and lower operating expenses.

Energy has to exist before it can be distributed. In the future it will come more and more from renewable sources. Wind, hydro, and solar will supplement conventional energy sources to an ever greater degree. At the same time, the use of renewable energy sources leads to new challenges for grid stability: Supply and demand for energy are fundamentally harder to align when the wind dies down or the sky is overcast, certainly more than is the case with power plants that can be switched on and off as needed.

Siemens Energy Storage (SIESTORAGE) – combining advanced power electronics for grid applications with high-performance lithium ion batteries – balances out fluctuations in generation from renewable energy sources in fractions of a second to ensure a stable supply. This makes SIESTORAGE a key element for sustainable safeguarding of business strength and economic well-being in an increasing urbanized world, – a world in which cities account for two-thirds of global energy demand.

This energy demand must be transmitted and distributed smartly, not least because renewable energies complicate the existing system in general and push grids to the limits of their capacity. The current grid is not designed for fluctuating amounts of power coming from thousands of decentralized, scattered and regenerative power producers. To be equipped for the future, power grids must operate as smart grids.

The Smart Grid Division of Siemens's Infrastructure & Cities Sector supports power generators, grid operators, industrial corporations and cities in expanding smart transmission and distribution grids, and in integrating centralized and distributed power generation. A further essential aspect is to open up opportunities for the end consumer to participate actively in the energy market, thereby helping to protect the climate. After all, studies show that more than a billion tons of CO₂ can be saved by 2020 with smart grids – especially in cities, where 70 percent of global CO₂ emissions originate.

Munich – The big city with a heart of green

When it comes to quality of life, Munich has been in the international Top Ten for many years. And in light of current developments in the city relating to sustainability, the Bavarian capital is sure to climb higher in the rankings. Primarily responsible for this are projects like the new building of the publishing house Süddeutscher Verlag and a field trial with 40 electric cars.

One prestigious new sustainability project in the city is the corporate headquarters of Süddeutscher Verlag. In 2010, it was the first German office building to receive the LEED Gold certificate. The corporate headquarters building is an example of how cost-effectiveness, sustainability, building energy efficiency, flexibility of use and a productive working environment with an individually selectable room climate can all be brought into harmony. Siemens systems, which communicate with each other virtually loss-free, play an important role in implementing the complex building functions. In line with the holistic view, the modular, space-saving Sivacon 8PS busbar trunking system from Siemens was selected for power distribution.

In another example, in Munich’s prison Siemens shows that energy savings can also be combined with security. The GAMMA building control, for example, facilitates that cell lighting is automatically switched off when there is sufficient daylight and only turned back on at dusk. To ensure it is never completely dark in the corridors and stairwells, 50 percent of the lamps in these areas are on around the clock. The resulting basic level of brightness contributes to the personal security of the prison staff while ensuring the required image quality of the surveillance cameras.

Siemens is also active when it comes to private home construction – for example in equipping eleven ecologically designed wooden row houses in the north of Munich. In supplying the hardware for these houses, Siemens ensures a high level of safety with child-proof socket outlets and enables a cozy atmosphere with premium materials. Siemens installation technology is also used for the distribution boards, lightning protection, line protection, bell transformers and meters.

In another project, Siemens conducted an electromobility field trial in 2010 with its partners BMW AG and the Munich municipal utility to test electric cars MINI E and the charging infrastructure for their suitability for daily use. The Drive eCharged project had 40 test drivers using the cars in Munich for about 10 months. Siemens was responsible for the technology used in the new charging stations, while the Munich municipal utility supplied the renewably generated green electricity. Thanks to Siemens’ 5TT3 charging units, 32 public charging stations were complemented by 36 home charging stations. The drivers of electric cars now have even more flexibility when recharging – for example overnight in an underground parking garage.

Mumbai – On its way to a sustainable metropolis

With support from the World Bank, the Mumbai Urban Transport Project has invested around US$2 billion in the city’s transportation infrastructure since 2001. The funding has been used for new rail lines, new urban expressways and for converting some of the public buses to ecofriendly gas power. New trains equipped with Siemens technology are far more economical to operate, friendlier to the environment, and make daily travel for the masses of commuters more comfortable.

Due to the enormous popularity of the trains, the operator, Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC), was faced with a number of tough challenges. Traveling in overcrowded trains – with up to 16 people per square meter space – is both uncomfortable and dangerous. And when boarding and exiting takes such a long time, train service is seldom on schedule. Furthermore, the old trains consumed too much electricity and were subject to extreme wear and tear. This resulted in a large number of breakdowns. As part of the Mumbai Urban Transport Projects, the MRVC committed to correcting these problems with financial support from the World Bank.

Mumbai’s new suburban trains are equipped with Siemens technology that makes them safer, more comfortable, faster and more ecofriendly. Over the past few years, MRVC has put 112 new trains with more than 1,200 coaches into service. One important innovation is the change in the power supply, from 1.5-kilovolt direct current to 25-kilovolt alternating current. Taking into account the energy regenerated from the braking system, the new trains consume up to 40 percent less electricity and considerably improve their CO₂ footprint. The Siemens propulsion systems are not only more powerful, but also brake and accelerate fully loaded trains faster and achieve higher top speeds. Longer trains with twelve coaches rather than nine can be used and this increases the operating frequency.

Once all of the new trains have been delivered, Mumbai’s suburban rail service will have increased its passenger capacity by round 60 percent. The massive overcrowding at rush hour will then be a thing of the past. Passengers also benefit from additional innovations: Rather than obsolete steel springs, a pneumatic suspension system provides greater comfort. In addition, the new trains feature active ventilation systems and are considerably quieter than their predecessors.

Guangzhou – Modern metro network and clean electricity

Over half a billion people now live in China’s cities and conurbations – a figure which is due to double by 2030. To ensure that the cities can meet the demands of an economic giant of the 21st century, the government is investing heavily in effective infrastructure solutions while at the same time seeking new sustainable approaches. Siemens – which with over 10,000 employees maintains its largest branch office outside Europe in Shanghai – has been playing a key role in this for several years.

A large-scale project in Guangzhou which aims to reduce tailbacks and smog is the expansion of the metro network. Completed on time for the Asian Games 2010, Guangzhou increased its number of metro lines from five to nine – and they are due to become 16 by 2020. The Siemens equipment on the 79 new metro trains includes intelligent control technologies and drive systems which can feed the trains’ braking energy back into the supply network. With these systems, the trains can aid the city in reducing pollution and saving energy to a good extend.

A city of this size naturally has enormous energy requirements which – in particular on account of the growing middle class – are constantly rising. In large part, these requirements are met by the hydroelectric power plants in Yunnan Province, 1,400 kilometers away. The first 800kV high-voltage direct current transmission (HVDC) line in the world built by Siemens and China Southern Power Grid made it possible to transport the clean electricity to Guangzhou and other megacities on the south-eastern coast with a record voltage of 800,000 volts and an output of 5,000 megawatts. It provides up to five million homes with power and in comparison with coal saves 30 million tons of CO₂ every year.

In addition to innovations in infrastructure and both energy and water supplies, the Chinese government is increasingly interested in the use of renewable and carbon-free energies. Wind power will play the greatest role here: the Chinese coast has many kilometers of flat land and therefore presents perfect locations for large offshore wind farms – from example near Guangzhou.

London – An excellent example for sustainable city development

A lot is expected of buses in today’s cities: They need to be low-cost, absolutely reliable, quiet, environmentally friendly thanks to low emissions, and as comfortable as possible for passengers. That’s why Transport for London, the British capital’s public-transport operator, has been testing an innovative drive concept from Siemens since 2008. Some of its popular red double-deckers have been fitted with hybrid engines that make intelligent use of the braking energy produced in large quantities in the typical stop-and-go service.

In hybrid-drive buses, the diesel engine does not drive the rear wheels, as is usually the case, but a generator that produces electricity for the traction motors. In addition, the bus can also run for certain distances in full electric mode with the electricity generated from braking, and then operates absolutely emission-free. Compared with a conventional diesel bus, the red hybrid double-decker produces up to 40 percent fewer emissions and consumes around 30 percent less fuel. Depending on the route driven, that equates to around 10,000 liters of diesel fuel at an annual mileage of 60,000 kilometers. Transport for London has had very positive experience with the hybrid drive. By the opening of the Olympic Games in London in 2012, 300 line buses with the hybrid system are scheduled to be operating on London’s streets.

Since 2003, anyone driving their car into the center of London has had to pay a congestion charge. The toll-charging technology used is provided by Siemens. Every day, 850 cameras monitor and identify around one million vehicle license numbers. With this system, the Siemens technology is helping save 150,000 tons of CO₂ emissions every year. Since the congestion charge was introduced, the volume of traffic in the city center has been reduced by 15 percent (or 60,000 vehicles) per year. A large share of the drivers has switched to public transport. The positive consequence: Both air pollution and noise emissions are now substantially lower.

South Africa – Megacities and sustainable infrastructures

Prior to the 2010 Soccer World Cup, neither of the two cities, which will soon be a giant agglomeration, had a high-speed rail link. Today there is the “Gautrain”, a modern train connection between Johannesburg and Pretoria which also connects Johannesburg Airport with the business district.

3,000 kilometers of glass fiber cables, which are also responsible for controlling the signal installations, were laid for the “Gautrain”. The associated data network from Siemens is designed as an open transport network: This means that the glass fiber cables are laid as bundles along the route, thereby ensuring data flow in both directions.

The rail transportation system in Johannesburg is another sustainable urban development project in which Siemens is involved. Here, the information technology at key stations was completely overhauled. Siemens was responsible for the design, execution and integration of the systems. With modern signaling systems and both loudspeaker and information systems, the efficiency of the system has increased enormously. In addition, the trains have become more reliable and the stations safer, so that the old – and formerly unpopular – trains are now far more appealing to the population.

Energy supplies are equally important for the sustainable development of South Africa. In the Drakensberg mountains, in the east of the country, a pump-fed power plant with a capacity of 1,330 megawatts is currently being built. Experts believe that, as an energy store, it could become an element of a smart grid for South Africa in the future. Siemens is the local partner to plant manufacturer Voith on this project. The new, modern gas-fired power plants in Cape Town and Mossel Bay are today already generating electricity with Siemens turbines.

In addition to projects in public transportation and power supplies, Siemens also supported South Africa during the Soccer World Cup. For example, passports were scanned and automatically compared with visa files at the border controls. At the Sandton Convention Center building automation from Siemens ensured a reliable communication infrastructure; Siemens modernized two television studios for the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and provided the lighting for all the world cup stadiums.

Houston – The oil metropolis on the way to becoming a green city

As a partner city of the C40/Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) – an international association of sustainable cities – Houston has set for itself the goal of reducing CO₂ emissions, conserving energy, and encouraging renewable energy development. In addition to the use of hybrid vehicles by the municipal government and the supply of power through Texas wind farms (33 percent), the city is relying on energy conservation in its public buildings – first and foremost in order to set a good example for private households.

In regard to large investments, the city government is also taking advantage of Siemens energy performance contracting: With these agreements, Siemens guarantees the municipality refinancing through savings within certain periods of time. For example, the energy performance contract for the energy system modernization of a fire station and the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center has a volume of 26 million dollars and a term of 13 years. These two buildings alone allow the city to conserve 550 megawatt hours of power and 119 megawatt hours of natural gas annually.

A second major initiative for drastically reducing the energy consumption of the city was the modernization of its traffic lights: Within a year, Siemens technicians installed 40,000 LEDs to replace the old incandescent lamps. The changeover to LED technology will allow Houston to save 14 million dollars in energy costs and an additional 5.5 million dollars in operating costs within 10 years.

With an investment of 750 million dollars, the event venue of Reliant Park in Houston is one of the largest construction projects of the region. Large events like football games of the Houston Texans or Rodeos draw thousands of people to the site every year. Special attention is thus paid to the safety and protection of visitors. Siemens installed state-of-the-art systems for building automation and control, as well as fire protection, access control, and video monitoring solutions.

Another urban modernization project in which Siemens was involved was the construction of the “Red Line”, the Metrorail system that connects Reliant Park with the business district. As the market leader for light rail in North America, Siemens supplied the 18 light rail vehicles along with the complete infrastructure, including the signal and communication technology, power supply, and overhead lines.