American railroads are teaming up with big data to become smarter, nimbler, more seamless systems. The next generation of cloud-based rail automation, remote monitoring, and intelligent asset management software will capture and mine the trillions of data points generated by railroads to make that happen. This kind of unprecedented visibility will allow railroads to efficiently identify and analyze trends, make more informed operational decisions, determine predictive/prescriptive maintenance recommendations, and address critical alarm conditions. The bottom line is a time, cost and energy savings for the railroads, but other benefits extend beyond the industry. This kind of software can also access and transmit live railroad crossing occupation information to first responders, helping shave critical minutes from their emergency response times by directing them away from blocked rail crossings and toward the quickest and most available routes.

Imagine a winter with no shoveling, no salt, no ice, no plowing, no potholes, no setbacks in productivity—and no soggy socks. Snowmelt systems can do away with the inconveniences of snowy weather and the havoc it can wreak for drivers, mass transit operators and pedestrians. An underground network of miles of tubes connected to an energy-efficient heat source, like hot water circulated from a local power plant, are laid beneath streets, sidewalks and other surfaces, warming the ground and essentially weather-proofing the area. Snowmelt systems in operation today are designed to melt one inch of snow per hour at 20° Fahrenheit and 10 MPH wind conditions, helping cities save money on snow removal and ensuring that life doesn’t screech to a halt when the flakes start to fall.

Intelligent power systems give communities the opportunity to invest in greener, cheaper, locally sourced, and more secure energy. Private residences, corporate compounds, universities, hospitals and other buildings or campuses connected to local sources of energy generation, such as natural gas and solar, can create their own microgrids to power their operations and feed surplus energy back to the larger grid. During a blackout or extreme weather, microgrids can disconnect from the larger grid to operate as an “electrical island” and provide secure, reliable energy to the connected network. And while microgrids make the best case for themselves during worst-case scenarios, they offer greater efficiency on any given day and provide significant cost savings. Smart software that monitors the two-way stream of energy and information between users and the utility company can cut costs by selecting the most affordable energy generation mix based on real-time rate information. One more thing: It’s estimated that up to 6 percent of energy generated in the U.S. gets lost in transmission and distribution. Microgrids help energy avoid those longer treks and cut down on waste.

How can one train braking help another one accelerate? It’s just one of the benefits of an energy storage system, or supercapacitor. An energy storage system harnesses and retains energy from braking trains, which is converted to electricity, to power other vehicles in the system and reduce primary energy consumption. And it’s estimated that one energy storage system can cut C02 emissions by 300 tons per year. Storage systems also cut down on service disruptions. When too many trains in the system are accelerating at the same time, system voltage dips, causing delays in service. A storage system eliminates those frustrations by stabilizing system voltage and providing energy when it’s needed most, resulting in improved service and smoother rides.

Worldwide, buildings consume 42 percent of all electricity—and up to 50 percent of that energy is wasted. Today’s smart buildings are implementing integrated, highly intelligent systems to lessen environmental impact and CO2 emissions, reduce energy spend, and increase operational effectiveness. They’re interfacing with microgrids to power their operations and identify the most affordable energy generation mix. They’re leveraging big data to analyze and predict energy efficiency trends and make more informed decisions. And they’re looking to cloud-based software to paint a holistic picture of building system performance and energy productivity, and to provide environmental reporting features that monitor compliance and sustainability goals—ensuring they’re doing right by Mother Nature. These advanced automation and control systems can reduce energy consumption by up to 40 percent and save hundreds of thousands in the process.

The U.S. leads the world in its production of wind-generated electricity. Turbines in operation today can generate enough electricity to power 700 homes, and the future is looking even better as the next generation of more competitive, cost-efficient wind turbines extend their reach—literally. Slated for production in 2017, these turbines will be outfitted with 59-meter blades that will sweep a greater area to make the most of the available wind resources at North America’s medium to low wind sites, which make up the majority of the U.S. market. It’s estimated these turbines will generate 10 percent more energy at the same cost as before, giving wind energy the edge it needs to compete for a spot as a mainstream energy source.