Post by igelkotten on Oct 26, 2005 0:47:37 GMT
Last week, a converted and completely biogas-powered DMU premiered here in Sweden.
First of all, a picture of the unit in question can be found here:
It is a result of a collaborative project between the municipalities of Västervik, Linköping and Lidköping in southeast Sweden, the local transport agencies Kalmar Länstrafik and Östgötatrafiken, as well as the company Svensk Biogas AB and the railway maintenance company Euromaint AB, and a few others.
Basically, what they have done is that they have taken an old class Y1 diesel railcar (built in Sweden in the early 1980'ies, based on a construction by FIAT) and given it a thorough rebuild. The old diesels have been removed, and replaced with two bus motors from Volvo originally designed for biogas buses. The motors are fitted with a very advanced combustion control system and catalytic exhaust converters. Also fitted are several new tanks for biogas, as well as several smaller modifications to cooler groups etc. They have also given the unit a general refurb of the passenger saloon as well as other amenities.
The Y1 class is used mainly on unelectrified, lightly used, lines in rural Sweden, and that is also the intended purpose for this unit, planned for use on the Tjustbanan, a railway line connecting the three municipalities mentioned above. It is also seen as a possible alternative to electrification -the 115 km between Linköping and Västervik would probably run to about 120-150 MSEK for an electrification, whilst the prototype rebuild has costed about 5.5 MSEK. The top speed is 130 km/h, same as before the conversion. Reputedly, the acceleration is also the same as before.
The converted unit is supposed to release about 98% less CO2, and about 2/3 less of NOx and hydrocarbons as compared to an diesel-powered Y1. And the main benefit is, of course, that the biogas is a renewable, non-fossil energy source, and able to replace imported petroleum fuels. The fuel supply is enough for about 600 km, somewhat less than that of the original diesel unit. It is still amply enough for the local operational requirements.
One problem for the operational economy of the test unit is, however, fuel charges. Diesel for railway use is untaxed in Sweden, although operators of diesel-powered vehicles have to pay an environmental fee to the Swedish State Railway Authority, Banverket. The operators are, however, confident that with rising diesel prices, the picture will change. And Banverket has stated that as alternative fuels become more common, they are willing to undertake a review of their access charges and environmental fees.
Both Linköping and Västervik municipalities have been very active in the use of bioogas as an alternative fuel, and the Municipial Technical Services company in Linköping have a large biogas production facility. They already, like Stockholm, have a fleet of biogas buses in operational service.
The EU Energy Commission has a page with links to case studies about biogas use here:
www.managenergy.net/indexes/I59.htm
While it does not have anything specifically about the train, it does have a few reports and studies about the use of biogas powered vehicles in Stockholm, Linköping and Trollhättan.
Svensk Biogas, a daughtter company to the municipialities mentioned above, has a webpage with a bit of information in swedish and english and pictures of the train here:
www.svenskbiogas.se
And a rather short and bland article from BBC can be found here:
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4112926.stm
The people behind this experiment have already started looking at rebuilding a larger class Y2 express diesel unit, as well as a diesel locomotive. While there are several hybrid-powered rail vehicles (most notably marketed is probably the "Green Goat" from a US company) as well as several vehicles powered by liquid natural gas, this is most probably the first completely biogas-powered rail vehicle in the world. India Railways have already shown great interest in the concept, and apparently will send over a delegation to take a look at it early next year.
, I say.
First of all, a picture of the unit in question can be found here:
It is a result of a collaborative project between the municipalities of Västervik, Linköping and Lidköping in southeast Sweden, the local transport agencies Kalmar Länstrafik and Östgötatrafiken, as well as the company Svensk Biogas AB and the railway maintenance company Euromaint AB, and a few others.
Basically, what they have done is that they have taken an old class Y1 diesel railcar (built in Sweden in the early 1980'ies, based on a construction by FIAT) and given it a thorough rebuild. The old diesels have been removed, and replaced with two bus motors from Volvo originally designed for biogas buses. The motors are fitted with a very advanced combustion control system and catalytic exhaust converters. Also fitted are several new tanks for biogas, as well as several smaller modifications to cooler groups etc. They have also given the unit a general refurb of the passenger saloon as well as other amenities.
The Y1 class is used mainly on unelectrified, lightly used, lines in rural Sweden, and that is also the intended purpose for this unit, planned for use on the Tjustbanan, a railway line connecting the three municipalities mentioned above. It is also seen as a possible alternative to electrification -the 115 km between Linköping and Västervik would probably run to about 120-150 MSEK for an electrification, whilst the prototype rebuild has costed about 5.5 MSEK. The top speed is 130 km/h, same as before the conversion. Reputedly, the acceleration is also the same as before.
The converted unit is supposed to release about 98% less CO2, and about 2/3 less of NOx and hydrocarbons as compared to an diesel-powered Y1. And the main benefit is, of course, that the biogas is a renewable, non-fossil energy source, and able to replace imported petroleum fuels. The fuel supply is enough for about 600 km, somewhat less than that of the original diesel unit. It is still amply enough for the local operational requirements.
One problem for the operational economy of the test unit is, however, fuel charges. Diesel for railway use is untaxed in Sweden, although operators of diesel-powered vehicles have to pay an environmental fee to the Swedish State Railway Authority, Banverket. The operators are, however, confident that with rising diesel prices, the picture will change. And Banverket has stated that as alternative fuels become more common, they are willing to undertake a review of their access charges and environmental fees.
Both Linköping and Västervik municipalities have been very active in the use of bioogas as an alternative fuel, and the Municipial Technical Services company in Linköping have a large biogas production facility. They already, like Stockholm, have a fleet of biogas buses in operational service.
The EU Energy Commission has a page with links to case studies about biogas use here:
www.managenergy.net/indexes/I59.htm
While it does not have anything specifically about the train, it does have a few reports and studies about the use of biogas powered vehicles in Stockholm, Linköping and Trollhättan.
Svensk Biogas, a daughtter company to the municipialities mentioned above, has a webpage with a bit of information in swedish and english and pictures of the train here:
www.svenskbiogas.se
And a rather short and bland article from BBC can be found here:
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4112926.stm
The people behind this experiment have already started looking at rebuilding a larger class Y2 express diesel unit, as well as a diesel locomotive. While there are several hybrid-powered rail vehicles (most notably marketed is probably the "Green Goat" from a US company) as well as several vehicles powered by liquid natural gas, this is most probably the first completely biogas-powered rail vehicle in the world. India Railways have already shown great interest in the concept, and apparently will send over a delegation to take a look at it early next year.
, I say.
