Skip to main content

Portuguese toll operator cuts energy costs

Portuguese motorway toll operator Brisa Auto Estradas de Portugal says it is saving over 10 per cent of its electricity costs – worth over US$430,000 – as a result of an energy efficiency plan which was launched in 2010. Electricity consumption accounts for 54 per cent of Brisa’s total energy expenditure, half of which is for the lighting systems of the motorway network.
April 17, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Portuguese motorway toll operator 2051 BRISA Auto Estradas de Portugal says it is saving over 10 per cent of its electricity costs – worth over US$430,000 – as a result of an energy efficiency plan which was launched in 2010.

Electricity consumption accounts for 54 per cent of Brisa’s total energy expenditure, half of which is for the lighting systems of the motorway network. The company adjusted the timings of the operation of these systems in line with the solar time cycle. In other cases, it has reduced the power of the lightning system from 400Watt to 250Watt and from 250Watt to 150Watt. In 2010 the savings achieved with these policies totalled 11,372 Gigajoules. All subsidiaries reduced the consumption of electricity and the cut on the energy was estimated at 10.9% across the group.

More recently, Brisa has been testing solar panels to power equipment installed along motorways such as SOS telephones, road signs, and cameras, while Brisa’s US subsidiary, Northwest Parkway in Colorado, has recently closed a deal for the installation of photovoltaic panels along 18 km of its motorways.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Keolis to operate French Riviera Urban Community transport
    June 25, 2019
    Keolis is to operate and maintain the French Riviera Urban Community’s public transport network ‘Zest’, in a deal expected to generate a total revenue of €60 million. Keolis is seeking to improve the transport network across 15 cities and villages of the community located along the Mediterranean coastline in southeast France. The company will also roll out digital services such as Wi-Fi in all buses. From 8 July, the company’s subsidiary Keolis Menton Riviera will start running regular and extracurri
  • Tolling interoperability comes a step closer
    October 20, 2014
    Tolling agencies from six US states have committed to start using the Alliance for Toll Interoperability’s (ATI’s) hub service. These include the Central Texas Mobility Authority, the Northwest Parkway in Colorado as well as members of the California Toll Operators Committee and agencies in three other – currently unnamed states. ATI members capturing details of vehicles using their toll roads that are not registered on their own system can send details to the hub. The alliance holds registration plate a
  • Report identifies opportunities for road freight carbon and cost reduction
    December 4, 2012
    Switching from diesel to gas, reducing rolling resistance and aerodynamic drag and introducing more hybrid and electric vehicles are identified as key opportunities for further cutting carbon and improving efficiency in the road freight sector, according to a new report commissioned by the Transport Knowledge Transfer Network (TKTN) and the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP). The report, written by Ricardo-AEA for the project partners, focuses on the key technical opportunities, and identifies options
  • Wireless bridges widen options for ITS upgrades
    December 9, 2014
    Antaira Technologies’ marketing engineer Brian Roth explains why the increasing capacity of wireless bridges is reducing the cost of expanding and upgrading ITS networks. With more than half of the world’s population now living in cities, the need for efficient transportation of both people and goods has never been greater and that pressure is unlikely to ease any time soon. Indeed in many regions of the world the rate of urbanisation is still increasing as the demand for rural workers continues to decline.