News

Claudia van Diermen Jacobsen has joined the Eress team as Marketing and Partner Manager.

She has earlier held senior marketing positions in both the Railway and the IT industries.

The annual Eress Forum will this year take place in Prague, Czech Republic, on 13 June.

This year the Forum will start with a reception on the evening 12 June.  The conference theme will focus on energy efficiency and smart metering and billing. The venue is the nice Hotel Don Giovanni located in Prague city centre.

Updated conference information will be posted on our website.  Please visit regularly to stay informed of conference news.

We thank you for your support for the rail industry and look forward to seeing many of you in Prague June 2012!

Eress will attend the 1st Regional Conference "Energy efficiency of Railways in terms of sustainable development" in Belgrade, Serbia 17-18 November 2011.

We will have a presentation explaining the energy efficiency achievements done by Eress partners and customers.  Eress will also have a stand on the conference in order for interested parties to discuss with Eress staff. We believe the energy efficiency results and the Eress partnership will be of interest for participants at the conference.

The organisers of the conference are the Serbian Energy Efficiency Agency and the Serbian. The conference will present to railways experts of the South East European region practical solutions for their key energy efficiency issues, enable the exchange of best practices, and create a network among experts of the region.

Please access the conference website to learn more about the event.

Eress will be present as keynote speaker at the strategic event Railway Days - Wider Black Sea Area Railway Summit (WBSA), organised on the 4th and 5th of October 2011 in Bucharest (Romania).

The two days of the event will bring to discussion future projects in the Wider Black Sea Area, removing barriers for developing the Eurasian railway market, building the railway networks, developing freight and passenger, as well as urban transport. Eress is honoured to present its outstanding achievements in the improvement of railway competitiveness.

Please access www.railwaysummit.com to learn more about the event.

In the 2010 Eress annual report you will discover the new profile and brand structure of Eress.

The report summarises the operations and achievements of the past 12 months as well as Eress objectives for 2011. It also includes the audited financial statements for the period ended December 31, 2010 and presents different statements by representatives of the railway sector regarding the importance of energy settlement solution like Erex for rail competitiveness.

If you would like to receive a print copy of the Annual Report, please e-mail us with your mailing address. You can also download the report in PDF format.

The Eress Customer Forum 2011 on "energy efficiency - smart metering & billing" was held on June 16th, 2010, in Brussels.

The event drew more than 140 participants from 20 different countries including representatives from European Commission, major infrastructure managers, railway undertakings, as well as railway equipment manufacturers in Europe. The total number of participants has increased from 95 in 2010 to 140 this year (+47%). This shows that issues related to energy metering are taken seriously all over Europe by the whole rail industry.

The event was a great success and Eress has already decided to hold a new Eress Forum next year including various topical issues that will be debated in both plenary and workshop sessions.

At the Eress Customer Forum 2011, the new profile and brand structure of Eress was made public for the first time.

Eress is what you join
Eress is about European countries working together to solve a common challenge with a co-ownership of the solutions. Eress is organised as a non-profit organisation.  We share competence and experience between ourselves. Eress is committed to develop, implement and supply the energy settlement system Erex.

Erex is what you use
Erex is the settlement system used within this co-ownership. Its flexible construction, as well as the knowledge and experience achieved by Eress staff, makes Erex the obvious choice. We are committed to continusly develop Erex to fulfill requirements from owners, users and comply with the harmonisation process within the Europan railway sector.

With Erex you can be ready for the future.

The 2009 Eress Customer Forum will take place in Brussels on June 18th. The agenda for the Customer Forum will focus on topic related to "On-board Measuring and Managing of traction energy"

Last year Infrabel became a partner in the European Railway Energy Settlement System (Eress). The Eress partnership now includes the railway infrastructure managers of Denmark (Banedanmark), Norway (Jernbaneverket), Sweden (Banverket) and Belgium (Infrabel).

Eress develops, offers and supplies energy settlement system and energy settlement services for trains. Eress are Europe's leading energy settlement solution for trains and the only fulfilling requirement for interoperability and accurate settlement and invoicing.  

The Eress has shown the reduction of railway energy consumption by up to 15%, strengthening both the environmental profile and competitiveness of the railways.

In June 2009 CENELEC will finalize its prEN 50463 describing the energy measuring systems to be used on board of trains to measure the energy consumption of electrical trains. This standard will be harmonized with the essential requirements from the TSI (Technical Specifications of Interoperability).

This Eress Customer Forum will be the first occasion to propose this new standard and can give a guideline through this important step forward in the Railway market.

This Eress Customer Forum is interesting for:

Infrastructure Managers: energy, finance and controlling, grid access, purchasing, strategy and environment
Railway Undertakings: energy, finance and controlling, rolling stock, maintenance shops, purchasing, strategy and environment
Authorities: regulators, notified bodies, government and EU organizations
Rolling Stock building companies: high voltage, electronics and driver cabinet equipment
Manufacturers of current and voltage sensors, energy meters, data handling systems, energy data management systems and energy saving tools

For registration or more information please go to the event, if problems or further questions please contact claudia.garcia@infrabel.be or bart.vanderspiegel@infrabel.be before June 3rd.

Erex is receiving for the first time measured energy data from a Finnish locomotive. An important milestone is achieved as part of the test the Finnish Transport Agency, Liikennevirasto, is carrying out on the functionalities and possibilities offered by the Erex. Liikennevirasto is testing Erex with regard to collection, validation and settlement of measured energy data from traction units.

After conducting the necessary tests during last autumn the first energy measuring equipment was recently installed in a Sr1 locomotive of the Finnish train company VR. Through the whole process there has been a close dialogue and cooperation between Liikennevirasto, VR and Eress team. By taking part in an Eress test participant concept, the Finnish railways have been able to use valuable experience and knowledge from the existing Eress partners and customers.

Terje Stømer, who was appointed for the second time Chairman of Eress will chair a session at Rail-Tech Europe 2011 in Amersfoort, The Netherlands.

Terje Stømer will Chair a session of the 8th edition of Rail-tech Europe 2011 entitled "Efficient railway operations in times of budget constraints." The Conference themed of this international Exhibition & Conference on Rail Technology is "Sustainability through innovation". It will be held from 29 to 31 March 2011 in the Rail Maintenance Hanger in Amersfoort, the Netherlands.

Click here for more information http://www.railtech-europe

Eress will sponsor and present at UIC ENERGY METERING & BILLING DAY in Vienna, Austria FEBRUARY 3, 2011. Eress is actively involved in European standardisation work and in the UIC Railway energy Billing project. As such its participation is a logical fit with UIC energy day.

Eress will be presenting the EIM position paper on energy metering and billing and the status and latest developments of Erex. All interested parties, railway undertakings, infrastructure managers and other industry players, are kindly invited to attend those sessions and to visit our stand located in the exhibition area. Eress staff will happily discuss with the participants and answer to their questions.

UIC website for the conference.

http://www.uic.org/spip.php?article2313

Eress reduces railway energy consumption bu up to 15%, strengthening both the environmental profile and competitiveness of the railways. In this article, you can learn more about the system that could become a common European standard. It was published in European Railway Review Issue 2 2009.

Download article PDF.

At the 4th UIC Energy Efficiency Conference the Eress had the opportunity to present and promote the advantages of building and operating common European solutions for metering, settlement and billing.

The conference showed that the interest for these topics is high on the agenda at several European railway companies and infrastructure managers. Complete and consistent solutions taking into account the whole process of metering, energy management, settlement and billing will be the future approach in order to succeed.  The Eress provides efficient, reliable, accurate and flexible metering, settlement and billing systems and solutions. It is a proven concept. New partners joining will have the advantage of being operational fast.

More detailed information can be found in the presentation Eress gave at the conference.

The European Rail Infrastructure Managers (EIM) has published a position paper on Energy Meters on Electric trains. The paper draws up some lines regarding standardisation and processes for handling of energy meters, and the use of measured data for energy management, settlement and billing.

EIM Position Paper on Energy Meters on Electric trains.pdf

In the year 2008 significant milestones were reached as the Eress Partnership became truly European. The Partnership changed name from Nordic Railway Energy Railway Settlement System (NRESS) to European Railway Energy Railway Settlement System (Eress). The Belgian Railway Infrastructure Manager Infrabel NV joined Eress and became partner in the leading European solution for settelment of energy consumption for national and cross-border train traffic.

Considering the challenges facing the railway sector, there are more reasons than ever to join hands with new partners and work toward a common goal of creating a competitive and sustainable railway industry.

The long-term objective of Eress is to become a European standard. We believe that future demands for harmonisation of the European railway and the increased focus on the environment will lead Eress to become the common European system.

Please use this link to download the ERESS Annual Report 2008.

The Eress will participate as Gold Sponsor at the 4th UIC Energy Efficiency Conference in Tours, France from 24th of September until 26th of September 2009. This is the continuation of a long term co-operation between UIC and Eress.

The Eress would like to inform that during the workshop "Energy Metering and Billing and Eco-Driving Technologies" on 25th September, both the Eress partnership and one of our customers will present experiences from using a complete and consistent system for traction energy metering, settlement and billing. We believe this will be an interesting session for railway undertakings, infrastructure managers and other industry players.

There will also be an opportunity for interested parties to meet Eress staff at the exhibition area.

The common Nordic system for measurement, settlement and billing of energy consumption cost for trains changes name to ERESS (European Railway Energy Settlement System). This is done as NRESS already had signed with a European partner, and the focus on the development of the system is in Europe.

The interest in the Nordic solution for measurement and settlement of energy consumption cost for trains has been significant in several European countries. This summer the Belgian Infrastructure Manager, Infrabel, joined the Nordic partnership. In addition the French train company SNCF is running a test version of the system. We are also developing a common European solution for validating, splitting and distribution of energy measurement data for the International Union of Railways UIC.

To clarify that the focus and the system no longer are only Nordic the Steering Group of NRESS (Nordic Railway Energy Settlement System) decided that the name is to be changed to ERESS (European Railway Energy Settlement System).

Infrabel, manager of the Belgian railway infrastructure, has become a partner in the Nordic Railway Energy Settlement System (NRESS). NRESS has shown the reduction of railway energy consumption by up to 15%, strengthening both the environmental profile and competitiveness of the railways.

"NRESS already leads the  European railway market in  terms of energy efficiency,  and as a partner we offer our  client-operators a system that  has proven the possibility to  reduce their energy  consumption by up to 15%.  This will generate substantial  savings as well as making our  railways even more  environmentally friendly,"  said Jean-Marie Raviart,  Director Infrastructure at  Infrabel.     Infrabel is regarded as an Infrastructure Manager with good know-how of the issues,  challenges and possibilities connected to energy metering and settlement of trains, and the  NRESS believes Infrabel will contribute to the work of developing the NRESS further.     NRESS is an interoperable system for measurement and settlement of electric train energy  consumption. It was developed by the Scandinavian railway infrastructure management  companies: the Norwegian National Rail Administration (JBV), the Swedish Rail  Administration (BV) and Rail Net Denmark (BDK).     By utilising the data generated by the NRESS system, train operators can reduce their energy  consumption by as much as 15%.  Train companies in Belgium, Norway, Sweden and  Denmark consume around EURO 300 million of energy each year. The system can therefore  reduce this annual total by up to EURO 45 million and consequently strengthen the railway's  competitive advantage. It will also make the rail system more competitive and even more  environmentally friendly.    

NSB AS (Norwegian State Railways) has reduced their electric energy consumption pr gross ton kilometre with almost 20% since 2004.

NSB have over the last years conducted several different initiatives regarding energy management and energy saving as part of their energy reduction project.

With the introduction of ERESS, advanced energy measuring systems and consisted railway energy settlement and billing have been established.  NSB has therefore been able to realise the energy cost reductions of their energy management and saving initiatives. Metered energy data are supplied to NSB from the ERESS system daily. This is important in NSBs effort to reduce their energy consumption even further.  

For 2007 the reduction in energy consumption since 2003 equals a reduced annual energy cost of approximately € 3 million, based on an average energy price of 30 €/MWh in the Nordic energy marked.