In today's era of rapid development, high-speed rail has become an important link between cities, and its speed and efficiency have become a microcosm of modern life.
However, the operating costs of high-speed rail, especially the expenditure on electricity, have been a hot topic of public concern.
There is a comparative figure circulating on the Internet about the power consumption of high-speed rail in China and Japan: China's high-speed rail consumes 10,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per kilometer, while Japan only needs 43 kilowatt-hours.
This figure is undoubtedly shocking, and it makes one wonder if the operating costs of China's high-speed rail are really much higher than those of Japan.
China's high-speed railway, known as one of the "new four major inventions", is the pride of the Chinese nation.
Not only is it the world's longest high-speed rail network, but it is also developing at an extremely fast pace, achieving a leap from scratch, from catching up to leading in just a few years.
However, the operational efficiency and cost of China's high-speed rail have always been a focus of industry concern.
Electricity bills, in particular, are indeed as high as some have reported, and their prospects and economic sustainability will naturally be questioned.
In contrast, is Japan's Shinkansen, as a pioneer in global high-speed rail technology, really far more efficient than China's high-speed rail?
In fact, China and Japan have their own advantages in terms of technology, and it is difficult to generalize.
For example, in terms of body design, Japan's Shinkansen adopts a lightweight design, while China's high-speed rail focuses on body stability and safety.
In terms of power supply systems, the high-speed railways between China and Japan have also adopted different technical solutions. Therefore, in order to objectively evaluate the power consumption efficiency of high-speed rail in the two countries, it is necessary to consider it from multiple perspectives.
In terms of operational efficiency, China's high-speed railways rank among the top in the world in terms of operating mileage and passenger flow. Although Japan's Shinkansen is technologically advanced, there is still a big gap compared with China's high-speed rail in terms of operating mileage and passenger flow.
Therefore, from the perspective of operational efficiency, China's high-speed rail has certain advantages.
To sum up, the high-speed rail between China and Japan has its own advantages in terms of technology, and it is difficult to generalize. When evaluating the power consumption efficiency of high-speed rail in the two countries, it is necessary to consider from multiple perspectives.
At the same time, we should see the advantages of China's high-speed rail in terms of operational efficiency and cost, as well as future development prospects and economic sustainability.
So what is the truth behind this striking difference in power consumption?
Is it true that the operating costs of China's high-speed rail are too expensive for electricity? Or is it just a misunderstanding, and there is more to know about it.
First, we need to clear up a widespread misconception.
The saying that "one kilometer of China's high-speed rail consumes 10,000 kWh" is widely circulated on the Internet, which seems to be staggering, but it is actually a misunderstanding.
This figure is a clear misreading of the hourly power consumption of high-speed rail as the electricity consumption per kilometer.
According to the State Grid Wuxi Power Supply Company, China's high-speed trains at 350 kilometers per hour consume more than 9,600 kilowatt-hours of electricity, while high-speed trains with 250 kilometers per hour consume more than 4,800 kilowatt-hours per hour. This means that if we convert these data into electricity consumption per kilometer, a high-speed train with a speed of 350 kilometers per hour is about 27.4 degrees Celsius, and a high-speed rail with a speed of 250 kilometers per hour is about 19.3 degrees Celsius.
This is a far cry from the data rumored on the Internet.
In fact, the power consumption of high-speed rail is affected by a variety of factors, including the speed of high-speed rail, passenger capacity, line length, slope, and so on.
It is not possible to simply use a fixed value to describe the electricity consumption per kilometer of high-speed rail.
In short, we need to have an accurate understanding of the power consumption of high-speed rail to avoid being misunderstood and misled.
At the same time, we should also pay attention to the energy-saving and environmental protection technology of high-speed rail, and promote the continuous development and progress of high-speed rail technology.
Next, let's take a look at the data for Japan's Shinkansen.
The average power consumption of Shinkansen lines in Japan is about 43 kilowatt-hours per kilometer. This figure is low compared to the power consumption of China's high-speed rail, but we need to analyze it further.
Considering that the average operating speed of Japan's Shinkansen is only 220 km/h, compared to the 300-350 km/h speed of China's high-speed rail, we can evaluate it from the perspective of energy efficiency ratio.
The energy efficiency ratio, that is, the ratio of electricity consumption per unit distance to the running distance per unit time, is an important indicator to evaluate the energy efficiency of the high-speed railway system.
At this level, the performance of China's high-speed rail is not inferior to that of Japan's Shinkansen.
In fact, because China's high-speed rail runs faster, it can run for a shorter time at the same distance, which may be more advantageous in terms of energy efficiency.
In addition, we need to consider other factors such as the design, maintenance, and operation management of the vehicle. These factors can all have an impact on the energy efficiency of the high-speed rail system.
However, according to the current data, China's high-speed rail has shown a good balance in terms of power consumption and operating speed, making it competitive in terms of energy efficiency ratio.
Although the average power consumption of Japan's Shinkansen is low, China's high-speed rail is not inferior to Japan's Shinkansen from an energy efficiency ratio perspective, considering its relatively slow operating speed.
This further confirms the technological advancement and energy efficiency superiority of China's high-speed rail.
So why is China's high-speed rail still losing money under such large-scale construction?
According to data from China State Railway Group, in the first half of 2022, the loss of China's railways was as high as 80.4 billion yuan, and the total debt was more than 6 trillion yuan.
There are many reasons for this, let's reveal them one by one.
1. The scale of China's high-speed rail construction is staggering.
By the end of 2021, the total length of China's railways in operation reached 150,000 kilometers, an increase of 4,000 kilometers compared with the end of 2020.
Among them, the increase in the mileage of high-speed rail is particularly significant, which has also led to huge construction costs. These costs include, but are not limited to, land acquisition, track construction, station construction, power system construction, and so on.
With such a large amount of work, the investment in high-speed rail construction has become a major source of cost.
2. The procurement and maintenance of high-speed rail EMUs is also a huge expense.
In 2021, China Railway Group purchased 210 sets of EMUs, with a single set cost of up to 140 million.
This does not include subsequent maintenance and operating costs.
Not only do these EMUs need to be inspected and repaired regularly, but they also need to be updated and upgraded. These expenses are also one of the reasons for the loss of high-speed rail.
- The maintenance and operating costs of railways should also not be underestimated.
This includes the maintenance of tracks, signals, and electrical facilities, as well as personnel and station management. These expenses, while not so conspicuous, are significant expenses.
For example, in order to ensure the safe and punctual operation of trains, a lot of maintenance and upkeep work is required.
4. Station management and personnel training also require certain costs.
To sum up, the main reasons for the loss of China's high-speed rail are the huge scale of construction, the high cost of EMU procurement and maintenance, and the high cost of railway maintenance and operation.
However, despite the losses, the development of China's high-speed rail is still ongoing.
In the future, with the progress of technology and the improvement of management level, it is believed that China's high-speed rail will achieve better economic and social benefits.
In addition, the fares of China's high-speed rail are relatively low, which is to better protect the travel needs of ordinary people.
The considerations behind this strategy go far beyond economic considerations to social responsibility and political stability.
Due to the relatively low fares, it is difficult for the revenue of the railway company to fully cover its operating and maintenance costs, even with a huge number of passengers.
This means that the loss of China's high-speed rail is not just due to high power consumption, but more due to huge construction and operating costs, as well as relatively low fares.
China's high-speed rail is extremely expensive to build and operate, in part because of the large capital investment required to build and maintain it.
For example, high-speed rail tracks, signaling systems, trains, and power supplies all require ongoing maintenance and updates. Combined, these costs make the operating costs of China's high-speed rail remain high.
At the same time, the fare of China's high-speed rail is relatively low, in order to allow more people to enjoy the convenience brought by high-speed rail.
In China, railway transportation is an important national infrastructure and a livelihood project.
Therefore, when formulating fares for China's high-speed rail, we should not only consider economic benefits, but also consider social benefits. This is also an important reason for the loss of China's high-speed rail.
Overall, the loss of China's high-speed rail is not just due to high power consumption, but more due to huge construction and operating costs and relatively low fares.
This also reflects the purpose and responsibility of China's high-speed rail to serve the people.
However, we can't just look at the loss side.
China's high-speed rail is not only a means of transportation, but also a national strategy, and its value goes far beyond financial profit and loss.
High-speed rail has greatly shortened the distance between cities, improved people's travel efficiency, and promoted economic and cultural exchanges between cities.
It has also driven the economic development of the regions along the route and created more employment opportunities for local residents.