Energy storage impact on light rail developments

– Smart cities imply a range of efficient mobility solutions for people and goods at the same time as minimising the environmental burden. This short paper focuses on Light Rail and particularly Tram systems as having advantages in responding to these needs and is the first stage on a longer project which will provide greater detail in due course. It further considers the alternatives for powering the system as an important component in the development of a clean, attractive and economic urban mass transit resource for the smart city. This leads to energy storage as a potential alternative to continuous energy supply such as overhead cables, and is followed by a comparison of various methods of on-board energy storage including batteries, supercapacitors and hydrogen. Interim conclusions are presented.