Vienna’s services of general interest is efficient: Not even a bit of energy is wasted!
When it comes to sustainability, public services are top-notch performers, because the public hand is concerned with finding lasting solutions instead of just trying to maximize profits without any afterthoughts about sustainability. This also includes using resources particularly sparingly. Below, there are three unique examples of how Vienna uses energy in a sensible way so that no energy produced goes to waste.
UNDERGROUND RAILWAYS HEAT THE STATIONS WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES
When entering a Metro station, one normally grabs his or her stuff, potentially finishes writing a text message to head for the door as quickly as possible. During this short period of time, Vienna’s underground railway trains are generating electricity! A lot of energy is generated during braking, which Wiener Linien, the City of Vienna’s owned company operating Vienna’s public transport, then converts into electricity, so that it can be used to power the trains that are about to set off towards the next station again. Besides the underground railways most of Vienna’s streetcars use this technique as well.
Until pretty recently however, if no other train set is departing from the station, the electricity could not be used. Wiener Linien has found a solution to this problem: The electricity generated during braking is now converted to usage for escalators, elevators, lighting and heating in the station. This saves a lot of electricity: All of Vienna's underground railway trains combined can "slow down" three gigawatts of electricity per year. This equals the electricity consumption of 720 households and reduces the amount of CO2 released into the air by around 400 tonnes.
ALPINE SPRING WATER GENERATES GREEN ELECTRICITY
Those living in Vienna even produce green electricity indirectly, just by consuming water! Vienna’s drinking water supply system is seen as a role model by many other cities around the globe. No wonder, Vienna’s Alpine spring water has excellent quality and the supply system does not only run reliably, but also cost-effectively. Especially those, who live in cities with privatized water supply systems had to learn the hard way what effects not having a publicly owned water supply system has on the quality of life.
On its way from the Alps, where Vienna’s drinking water comes from, to Vienna, the Alpine spring water passes 16 power stations. This way, Vienna's water supply produces electricity as a side effect – and not too little electricity as a matter of fact. The electricity generated this way would be enough to supply St. Pölten, a city near Vienna with a population of more than 50,000. That way less public money has to be spent and there are positive effects on the environment as well.
TRANSFORMING ENERGY GUZZLERS INTO ECO-FRIENDLY POWER PLANTS
A water cycle does not end at the pipe though. Wastewater treatment is usually among the biggest energy guzzlers within municipalities. Vienna's main sewage treatment plant proves that this does not have to be the case! Vienna’s main sewage treatment plant converts parts of the sewage sludge into sewage gas in order for it to be burned. This way, energy gets produced, which itself is transformed into green electricity and used for generating hot water or heating. Due to this innovative technique, Vienna saves 40,000 tons of CO2 every year in total. The innovative technology behind I, used for the very first time worldwide, was developed by TU Wien.
TOGETHER IMPLEMENTING SOLUTIONS
These were just a few examples of the many clever solutions made possible by public services in Vienna. Why is that the services of general interest are run that smoothly within Vienna? It is because that in Vienna there is the mindset of ensuring that everyone who keeps the city running pulls together for the common good. Functioning, affordable infrastructure and an intact environment: high quality public services guarantee a high quality of life not only in the short term, but in the long term as well.