Wabtec Signs $600M MoU With Kazakhstan Railway Company
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Seeking Alpha.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Wabtec announced Tuesday signing of a $600M memorandum of understanding with Kazakhstan Temir Zholy for 150 FLXdriveTM battery-electric shunters and modernization work to transform the mainline fleet into NextFuelTM liquid natural gas-powered (LNG) locomotives.
Note.
- It is for 150 shunting locomotives, which is not a small number.
- A lot of the work will be done in Kazakhstan.
- Wabtec certainly seem to be getting their FLXdrive technology about.
- Obviously LNG locomotives must be a good route to reduce carbon emissions for diesel locomotives.
- The Kazahks seem pleased with the deal for economic and decarbonisation reasons.
But what surprises me about this deal, is that it has not gone to Russia. Does this say something about Putin’s lack of friends.
How To Store Excess Wind Power Underwater
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
The article talks why batteries are needed and then describes the Ocean Battery.
But one firm, which won a 2022 Best of Innovation award at the CES technology show earlier this year, believes it has the solution.
Dutch startup, Ocean Grazer, has developed the Ocean Battery, which stores energy below the wind farm.
When there is excess electricity the system pumps water from an underground reservoir into tough, flexible bladders that sit on the sea bed. You could think of them like big bicycle inner tubes.
The water in those tubes is under pressure, so when it is released the water flows quickly and is directed through turbines, also on the sea bed, generating electricity when needed.
“The Ocean Battery, is effectively based on the same technology as hydro storage, where water is pumped back through a dam in a river, though we have transformed it into something you can deploy on the sea bed,” says chief executive Frits Bliek.
There is a visualisation of the system and a picture of their prototype.
Cummins Shows Hydrogen Internal Combustion-Engined Concept Truck At IAA Transportation Exhibition
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Commercial Motor.
These are the first two paragraphs.
Cummins believes hydrogen internal combustion engines (H2-ICE) will be suitable for the 10- to 26-tonne GVW range, and showed a concept vehicle at the IAA Transportation exhibition.
The truck, which is based on a Mercedes-Benz Atego 4×2, is fitted with Cummins’ new 6.7-litre B6.7H engine. It is rated at 290hp, has a peak torque of 1,200Nm, and a range of up to 500km.
Alison Trueblood, Cummins executive director – on-highway business Europe, is extensively quoted in the article and it is worth reading what she says.
I believe that by providing a hydrogen infrastructure and converting trucks to hydrogen, by using similar techniques to Cummins could be a quick and effective way to improve air qualities in urban areas.
UK Cleantech Consortium Awarded Funding For Energy Storage Technology Integrated With Floating Wind
The title of this post, is the same as that of this page on the UK Government’s Catapult Offshore Renewable Energy Web Site.
This is the introductory paragraph.
STORE, a UK-based cleantech consortium led by RCAM Technologies Limited, has been awarded £150,000 of funding to develop an advanced subsea energy storage technology manufactured using 3D printed concrete that could help offshore wind farms produce a steady and predictable energy output to the electricity grid.
This paragraph talks of the concept of Marine Pumped Hydro.
STORE is assessing the feasibility of integrating Marine Pumped Hydro (MPH) technology, which stores energy using hollow concrete spheres fitted with a hydraulic turbine and pump, with floating offshore wind plants in UK waters. In addition, the project advances the design of MPH systems and plans a prototype demonstration in the UK.
Note.
- The hollow concrete spheres are 3D-printed in concrete using the technology of RCAM Technologies.
- Spheres are structurally very strong.
- 3D printing of concrete is now mainstream technology and has been extensively used on the Elizabeth Line as I wrote about in The Story Behind The Concrete Panels On The Elizabeth Line.
- There is a visualisation on the Catapult web page, which shows several floating turbines, a floating sub station and several concrete hemispheres sitting on the seabed.
- The energy storage medium is sea water and air, which must be environmentally-friendly.
The technology is described in detail on this page of the STORE consortium web site.
- The spheres are fifteen metres across.
- The spheres can be installed at depths between 150 and 2000 metres.
- The system has a round-trip efficiency is up to 70%, which is similar to pumped storage hydro.
- The design life is 50 to 80 years.
I think that this system has possibilities.
This last paragraph in the Catapult web page gives a look into the future.
As well as improving the reliability and predictability of energy to the electricity grid, the project will support the cross sector transfer of UK offshore expertise and port infrastructure for use in renewable energy and create high-value UK jobs in engineering, construction, and operations and maintenance. This energy storage solution is ideally suited to coupling with floating wind plants and for powering offshore oil and gas assets from renewable energy. The 3D printed concrete also facilitates localized manufacturing and enables low cost fabrication of new and complex shapes that were previously not practical.
I also feel that if the concrete sphere energy storage can be made to successfully work, then the technology can surely be fitted to any offshore wind farm, by just adding the right number of spheres and connecting them to the offshore sub station.
The STORE Consortium
The STORE consortium has a web site, which has a heading of Innovative Subsea Energy Storage.
It describes the technology in this paragraph.
STORE is advancing a subsea energy storage technology called Marine Pumped Hydro (MPH). MPH uses large hollow concrete spheres on the seafloor to store mechanical energy in the form of pressure. MPH charges when seawater is pumped out of the spheres and releases energy to the grid when high-pressure water flows back into the spheres through a turbine. MPH features a patent-pending multi-sphere pod to increase the amount of energy stored and uses efficient 3D concrete printing to reduce manufacturing costs.
It sounds like an engineer with children, has been playing with them and their plastic toys in a bath and has had an Archimedes moment.
The project and its funding is described in this paragraph.
STORE was awarded £150,000 from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy Longer Duration Energy Storage Demonstration (LODES) competition. Phase 1 will deliver a Feasibility Study focused on the design and analyses for the UK. Phase 2, if awarded, will design, manufacture, and operate a prototype system at TRL 6.
Note that TRL 6 is Technology Readiness Level 6 and is fully defined on this NASA web page, as having a fully functional prototype or representational model.
There is also an interesting link to the ScotWind N3 wind farm. that I wrote about in ScotWind N3 Offshore Wind Farm.
- This is an unusual floating wind farm with a floating substation.
- Technip and Loch Kishorn port are involved in both the wind farm and STORE.
- Loch Kishorn has a history of building immense concrete structures.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this wind farm would be the location of the prototype system.
Conclusion
This is a brilliant concept.
- It is the ideal energy storage system for offshore wind, as it can turn a wind farm with a variable output into one with a much more constant output.
- It can be retrofitted to existing offshore wind farms.
- It will work with both fixed and floating wind farms.
- The concrete storage spheres can be fully assembled with all their electrical gubbins on shore and towed out, before sinking in the required position.
It also looks like the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy have got involved and helped with the funding. Someone there seems to know a good idea, when they see it!
Tevva Unveils 19-Tonne Hydrogen Electric Truck
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Fleetpoint.
These paragraphs outline the company’s launch into Europe and their new 19-tonne hydrogen-electric truck.
Electric and hydrogen truck OEM Tevva is to unveil its 19-tonne (19t) hydrogen-electric truck and announce its strategy for mainland Europe at the IAA Transportation show in Hanover, Germany from Monday 19 September.
The company is partnering with its wide portfolio of customers, including Kinaxia Logistics, Codognotto and FM Logistic, to showcase its range of full-electric and hydrogen-electric medium-duty (7.5t to 19t / Class 5 to 8) truck solutions designed for the European market.
Its largest truck platform launch to date, Tevva’s 19t hydrogen-electric model represents a significant milestone and highlights the scalability of its technology. As with the 7.5t hydrogen-electric model, the 19t variant benefits from the company’s revolutionary dual energy system, combining lithium-ion batteries and a hydrogen fuel cell range extender. The truck is expected to have a range of up to 500km depending on the number of hydrogen cylinders specified, which can be refilled in 10 minutes.
Since, I first wrote about Tevva trucks in Tevva Presents 7.5 Tonne Truck With Range Extender, I have felt that their design of truck could be one way to go.
- It seems to give a very good range.
- It has a good load carrying capacity.
- It is zero-carbon.
- The batteries can be charged on a charge system or by use the the hydrogen fuel cells.
- It would be good for deliveries in a city.
Tevva’s engineers seem to have done a good job.
My First Ride In A Refurbished New Routemaster
When I went to see the Queen’s flowers, that I wrote about in The Queen’s Flowers In Green Park, the 38 bus, I rode to Green Park, was a refurbished New Routemaster.
Note.
- It appears to have scrubbed up well.
- There is a new fabric and all the gold metal parts have been re-anodised.
- The priority seats for those with limited mobility are now labelled.
- As they are now up to eleven years old, will they now be good for at least another ten?
This article on Key Buses is entitled New Routemaster Refurbishment Underway, where this is said.
Despite coming under threat as a result of Tf L’s funding crisis the first New Routemasters have now returned from refurbishment. These include buses in the Abellio London, Metroline and London United fleets. The latter now carry RATPDev Transit London fleetnames. The first 200 vehicles are expected to be refurbished by March 31, 2023.
With 200 buses, I should get a lot of chances to add some more pictures.
In Could London’s New Routemaster Buses Be Converted To Hydrogen Power?, I came to this conclusion.
I believe from my knowledge of Cummins and the way they work, that they will come up with a hydrogen-based solution, that will replace the Cummins diesel in these buses with a zero-carbon engine.
If Cummins don’t then someone else will.
Whoever solves the problem of converting London’s new Routemasters to hydrogen will have one of the best adverts for their product, there has ever been.
After converting London’s thousand Routemasters, the engineers could move on to anything powered by a Cummins engine.
Since then I’ve written Werner Enterprises Signs Letter Of Intent Planning To Secure 500 X15H Engines From Cummins, which describes the application of Cummins technology to convert heavy trucks to hydrogen power.
The Queen’s Flowers In Green Park
I went to see the flowers from the Queen’s funeral, this afternoon in Green Park.
The BBC have just announced, that the flowers will be taken away at midnight on Monday.
Britain’s Longest Road Tunnel Could Be Built Along A27
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in The Argus.
These three paragraphs outline the scheme.
The longest road tunnel in the UK could be built as a long-term solution to congestion along the A27.
The tunnel, which would cost around £2 billion, has been touted as a way of addressing traffic and a way to improve local quality of life.
A new report by Transport for the South East (TfSE) said investing in such schemes is the only way carbon emissions from congested road traffic can be seriously tackled and improve.
The article also states, that the project is unlikely to be started before 2050.
These are my thoughts.
Where Will The Tunnel Be Built?
This Google Map shows Worthing.
Note.
- The A27 road runs roughly across the top of the map.
- The A27 has sections of dual-carriageway.
- There are two roundabouts, where the A27 connects with the A24 road between London and Worthing via Sutton, Dorking and Horsham.
- The West Coastway Line runs across the middle of the map.
- Four of the five stations in Worthing are visible.
- From East to West the stations are East Worthing, Worthing, West Worthing and Durrington-on-Sea, with Goring-by-Sea off the map to the West.
This Google Map shows the section of the A27 to the West of the A24.
Note.
- The A27 goes all the way across the map.
- There is a large junction with the A280 at the Western edge of the map.
- There is a large roundabout at the junction with the A24, at the Eastern edge of the map.
- The Western half of the A27 between the two junctions, appears to be dual-carriageway.
- The A27 continues in the West as a dual-carriageway between the junction with the A280, almost as far as Arundel.
I suspect the Western portal of the tunnel would be close to the junction with the A280 and for much of the route, it could be bored under the A27 to minimise noise and vibration for those living along the route.
This third Google Map shows the section of the A27 to the East of the A24.
Note.
- The A27 goes all the way across the map.
- It shares a route with the A24 between the two roundabouts towards the West of the map.
- The Eastern section of the A27 appears to be dual-carriageway.
- T27 continues in the East to the North of Shoreham and Brighton and the South of Lewes.
I suspect the Eastern portal of the tunnel would be close to the Western end of the dual-carriageway section to Lewes and for much of the route, it could be bored under the A27 and A24 to minimise noise and vibration for those living along the route.
As we’re good at tunneling in the UK, I don’t think this will be a difficult tunnel to bore.
What Should We Do In The Interim?
The article in the Argus says this.
Should the plans go ahead, the tunnel could be ready for construction by 2050, with a range of other measures proposed to cut congestion in the short term.
2050 is a long time to wait.
I haven’t driven in the area much in the last twenty years, as even before I didn’t drive, I’ve tended to take the train to places like Brighton, Eastbourne, Portsmouth and Southampton.
In my experience the East and West Coastway Lines along the South Coast have reasons, why people drive for preference.
- The trains are not frequent enough. There should be four trains per hour (tph) if possible.
- There needs to be more direct train services to London and Gatwick Airport.
- Some of the stations are not very passenger-friendly. More step-free access is needed.
- Some of the stations can’t handle twelve-car trains.
- The Class 313 trains, that are used to the West of Brighton, were built in the 1970s. Similar trains of that period in the rest of the UK, have either been replaced or will soon be.
- Is there enough car parking?
- Could some closed stations be reopened?
- Could Park-and-Ride facilities be built, where the A27 crosses the railway?
- Would it help, if the West and East Coastway Lines didn’t need a change at Brighton?
- Would a high speed service between Eastbourne and London via Hastings and High Speed One attract leisure passengers.
An improved railway might reduce traffic on the A27.
Perhaps the easiest improvement would be to replace all the East and West Coastway fleet with new or refurbished trains with the following specification.
- 100 mph operation.
- High-class well-designed interior matched to the passenger mix.
- Ability to handle the Marshlink Line and other sections without electrification.
- Wi-fi and power sockets.
- A refreshment trolley might be a good idea.
A marketing campaign might help.
IberBlue Wind Launches In Spain And Portugal With The Objective Of Promoting Iberian Leadership In Floating Offshore Wind
The title of this post is the same as that of this press release from the Simply Blue Group.
These three paragraphs introduce the project.
Simply Blue Group, Proes Consultores and FF New Energy Ventures have formed a joint venture that brings together expertise in all phases of floating offshore wind farm development.
The joint venture will focus its operations in Spain on Andalusia and Galicia, while in Portugal it will focus on the central and northern parts of the country.
IberBlue Wind aims to develop around 2GW of floating offshore wind farms.
This paragraph describes the plans of the Irish company; Simply Blue Group.
Simply Blue Group is a global developer of floating offshore wind farms with projects in Ireland, UK, US, Poland, and Sweden. Simply Blue Group currently has a pipeline of 10GW of projects under development. As part of its growth strategy, the company is now expanding into the Spanish and Portuguese markets.
It appears to be a very ambitious company.
Every GW of renewable energy helps.
Google Does A Tasteful Search Page
This was the heading on Google’s Search Page today.
If you moved the mouse over it, it just said “Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022”
Nothing more was needed.
The Anonymous Widower 