Dalian Metro System Uses Energy Intelligence, Cuts Energy Usage by 12%

System integrates Rockwell Automation control and information solutions to correlate, visualize and share data

Background

China is looking to improve transportation for its 1.36 billion citizens – no small task. Nine of China’s largest cities have citywide metro systems. Another 28 cities are building metro lines or planning to build them in the next five years.

Located in the south of the Liaoning Province, the major seaport city of Dalian needed a transportation system to accommodate its growing population.

Buses and trams were clogging the streets, and rolling hills throughout the city make bike commuting difficult.

The city’s current metro system consists of three lines – two underground lines and one above-ground light-rail line.

An additional six new lines or expansion lines are expected by 2020. Spanning over 66 miles, the current system carries more than 100 million passengers annually through 50 stations throughout the metro area.

Challenge
  • Fluctuating temperatures and weather conditions, and increasing ridership prompted the Dalian Metro to look for ways to better control and reduce energy use.

Solutions

Results
  • Energy consumption across the entire metro system is projected to be reduced by 12 percent.
  • As a result, the metro system predicts 2 percent cost savings per year.