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New Energy World
New Energy World embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low carbon technologies.
Hitachi Rail and Italian rail operator Trenitalia have unveiled a battery hybrid train, said to be the first passenger service of its kind in Europe. The hybrid tri-mode train can switch between battery, electric or diesel power, and is expected to cut carbon emissions and fuel consumption by more than 50%.
Hitachi Rail’s Blues train can operate on both electrified and non-electrified lines. On electrified routes, it uses pantographs to draw power from the overhead lines. On smaller non-electrified regional routes, a combination of battery and diesel power takes over. When it is near a station, the batteries power the train completely, eliminating emissions including harmful nitrous oxides (NOx) and reducing noise pollution. The battery recharges while the train is in operation, both in diesel and electric mode.
The fleet’s top speed is 160 km/h. The extra power offered by the onboard batteries provides ‘superior’ acceleration and performance compared to existing diesel trains, reducing journey times, the companies claim.
The Blues train is equipped with European Rail Traffic Management System digital signalling, which has up until now only been used on high-speed trains. This system helps reduce the railway’s energy and emissions footprint by regulating the speed, acceleration and braking of trains.
Up to 135 Blues trains worth €1.2bn are to be supplied under the framework agreement between Hitachi and Trenitalia, with passenger services starting in Italy before year-end.
