A Korean research team has successfully used an artificial intelligence (AI) optimization algorithm to reduce power consumption from facilities like subway station HVAC systems by over 10% compared to conventional methods, and has completed a technology transfer to a domestic company.
The Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI) announced on the 22nd that its research team, in collaboration with the Gwangju Metropolitan Transit Corporation, has developed an AI-based technology to optimize energy use in subway station facilities by efficiently linking renewable and regenerative power.
The team utilized an AI reinforcement learning-based algorithm to minimize energy consumption while maintaining stable indoor air quality, temperature, and humidity. This achieved a power reduction of over 10% compared to the conventional time-scheduled control method, which adjusts equipment power at specific times. The system also integrates regenerative power generated during train braking and renewable energy.
The developed technology has been transferred to the domestic company Raon Friends, and a field demonstration site is being built at Namgwangju Station on Gwangju Metro Line 1, with completion scheduled for December. The plan is to expand its application to stations nationwide, including the Seoul metropolitan area, aiming for commercialization by 2026.
KRRI plans to advance the technology into an integrated railway energy operation platform that manages renewable energy, regenerative power, and battery storage systems. The goal is to implement an intelligent Energy Management System (EMS) by expanding control to include not only HVAC systems but also major facilities like lighting, ventilation, and elevators.
Park Jong-young, a principal researcher at KRRI, stated, "We will continue to develop this into an autonomous HVAC control system based on big data analysis and learning," adding, "It can be expanded for application not only in railway stations but also in general buildings and industrial facilities."
Yoo Byeong-kwon, Electrical Team Manager at the Gwangju Metropolitan Transit Corporation, said, "We anticipate that using AI to optimize energy consumption will also lead to a reduction in electricity costs."
