ENERGY: Alstom Transport and Williams Hybrid Power signed an agreement on January 17 to test Williams’ energy storage technology on a Citadis tram.
Under the exclusive relationship, the two companies will adapt Williams’ composite MLC flywheel energy storage. Trials will start in 2014, with a view to installing a prototype system on an existing vehicle by the end of that year.
Williams’ flywheel technology was originally developed for the 2009 Williams Formula One car, and has since been introduced into London buses. It offers fuel savings of up to 15% by recovering braking energy that is normally lost as heat. The rotor flywheel is made from a composite material, which makes it safer than metal at high speeds.
