He wants proposals on the table by the end of the summer. Minister Delegate for Transport Clément Beaune announced on Friday July 15 on franceinfo that he was going to ask companies in his sector – in particular rail and air – to make more efforts to limit their energy consumption. A desire to move towards “energy sobriety” brandished by Emmanuel Macron during his July 14 interview.
>> “Energy sobriety” plan: will gas reserves in France be full in time for this winter?
In his interview on National Day, the Head of State was pessimistic and prepared the French for a “difficult” return to school and winter due to the war in Ukraine. Air France and the SNCF are among the companies that consume the most energy in France. Can they be more economical?
What ways to save energy in stations?
In the very short term, by the fall, because that is the deadline given by the minister to start taking action. The railway company has several leeway. It can accentuate its energy savings on lighting in station halls on information screens in particular. They are already off during the night, when the stations are closed, assures us the SNCF as well as the advertising screens. The objective is that by 2030, the oldest and most energy-intensive will be replaced.
A solar farm installed along the Rhine-Rhône LGV? ☀️
This is the innovative project led by @SNCFNetwork and @SNCFimmobilier.
This park of photovoltaic panels will contribute to the supply of solar energy on the #territory by 2024.– SNCF Network (@SNCFReseau) May 14, 2021
The public company also seeks to produce its own energy, a renewable energy. At the start of the school year in September, the SNCF will indeed announce which partner it has chosen to install photovoltaic panels. Nearly 200,000 m² of panels above the car parks of more than 150 stations will be installed for commissioning expected within a year and a half.
What are the ways to save energy for trains?
Changing gears earlier, not making too many jerks… Eco-driving, taught in driving schools, is now also part of the training of train drivers. It’s a computer, an algorithm that tells the driver how to drive to save motors and electricity and indicates the speed to reach at each moment. A kind of regulator which allows for example to take advantage of the inertia effect, when the train advances without the motors being solicited. This device is not yet generalized to all trains. For the moment, the SNCF says to save two million euros on its energy bill thanks to the program.
What are the ways to save energy for airplanes?
At Air France, pilots are encouraged to follow a few good practices. As when landing, do not descend in stages but in a continuous manner. The plane saves kerosene. Another tip: only run one out of two engines when the plane is on the ground, on the runway. The French company can also continue to reduce the weight of its planes as much as possible. First of all with what they carry on board. There are fewer magazines in the storage compartments, fewer flight documents in the cockpit – they all have a tablet – and the seats in the latest aircraft are lighter.
The new planes are also a lever for saving kerosene. They consume 25% less on average than their predecessor. Thanks to their lighter alloys, in titanium or carbon, and their less fuel-hungry engines. This year 2022, Air France will receive eight new long-haul A350 aircraft and 15 medium-haul A220s.