The Anonymous Widower

Schneider Electric: Vertical Farming – The Next Yield In Data Centre Sustainability 

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Intelligent Data Centres.

This is the sub-heading.

David Abrahams, Key Client Manager, Cloud and Service Partners at Schneider Electric UK and Ireland, discusses vertical farming and the next yield in data centre sustainability. He outlines new data centre sustainability strategies, vertical farming solutions and how data centres can apply already existent models which will allow plants and crops to thrive in unique Growth Towers.

These are the first two paragraphs.

As data centres begin to reach their physical sustainability limits without redefining the laws of physics, vertical farming could provide a new solution to the decarbonisation challenge, creating a symbiotic environment for both data and nature to benefit one another.

Coined by some as the fourth revolution in agriculture, vertical farms today provide closed conditions which deliver major sustainability benefits including limited or zero use of pesticides, while ensuring the farm is safe from extreme weather-related events such as high temperatures, humidity, floods and fires. 

The last section is called Making The Concept A Reality, where these are the first three paragraphs.

Equinix has already taken the leap and has become the first global operator to develop a fully functioning vertical farm at its PA10 Paris data centre, creating a 4600 sq.ft greenhouse which is surrounded by 61,000 sq.ft of garden space.

The vertical farm is kept at an ideal growing temperature, using heat exchangers linked to the data centre’s chilled water-cooling system with sensors that monitor internal and external temperatures and humidity levels. With such available technology, farmers will be able to make real-time changes to their growing conditions to achieve higher yields at lower energy. This could be a game changer considering the greater strain on the global food supply chain and the general cost of energy.

With increased demands for efficiency and sustainability, both data centre and agricultural sectors are under the greatest scrutiny. The idea of data centre and farming worlds collaborating to create a circular economy to help futureproof both industries is not only exciting but unveils a world of new decarbonisation opportunities.

It strikes me that combining a data centre and a vertical farm could be a marriage made in eco-heaven.

I suggest you read all the original article.

 

January 21, 2024 Posted by | Computing, Energy, Food | , , , , , | 1 Comment

Google Starts Building £790m Site In Hertfordshire

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.

This is the sub-heading.

Google has invested $1bn (£790m) to build its first UK data centre

These are the first four paragraphs.

The tech giant said construction had started at a 33-acre site in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, and hoped it would be completed by 2025.

Google stressed it was too early to say how many jobs would be created but it would need engineers, project managers, data centre technicians, electricians, catering and security personnel.

The prime minister said it showed the UK had “huge potential for growth”.

The project marked the latest investment by a major US tech firm in Britain, after Microsoft announced it would invest £2.5bn to expand data centres for artificial intelligence (AI) across the UK.

Note.

  1. By “completed by 2025” do they mean completed before 2025 or completed by the end of 2025. Judging by the time they took to build their London HQ, its the latter.
  2. Rishi is right about the UK having a huge potential for growth! Especially, if the nihilists of the United States vote in the Big Orange!
  3. Judging by the total spend of £2.5 billion on data centres and the £790 million for this one, this looks to be the first of three.

But where is this data centre going to be built?

This article on EssexLive is entitled Google To Move Into Waltham Cross With £788m Data Centre To Support ‘AI Innovation’, where this is said.

The new data centre will go on land at Maxwell’s Farm, next to the A10 Great Cambridge Road and around one mile from the M25 junction 25. Debbie Weinstein, Google vice president and managing director in the UK and Ireland, set out the decision in a blog post on Thursday, January 18 – the fourth day of the World Economic Forum’s Davos 2024 in Switzerland.

This is a Goggle Map of that area, when I searched for Maxwell’s Farm.

Note.

  1. The red arrow indicates the result of my search, which Google interpreted as A.J. Maxwell.
  2. The dual-carriageway road running down the East side of the map is the A10 between London and Cambridge.
  3. The A10 road joins the M25 at Junction 25.
  4. The arrow to the South-West of the roundabout indicates the new studios; Sunset Waltham Cross, which is being built.
  5. At the other side of the studio site, there is a label saying New River and this important piece of London’s water infrastructure can be traced to the top of the map.
  6. The other dual-carriageway road is the B198 or Lieutenant Ellis Way.
  7. A quick calculation shows that 33 acres is roughly a 365 metre square.

I would suspect that the data centre will lie somewhere between the A10, the B198 and the New River.

This Google Map shows the South-East corner of the site.

Note.

  1. There appears to be a lane running East-West, that crosses over both the A10 and the New River.
  2. Theobalds Lane appears to have some housing and possibly a farm.
  3. The smaller field by the roundabout appears to have some animals using it as grazing.
  4. The field between the East-West lane and Theobalds Lane appears to have a good crop of cereal.

The East-West lane would appear to be a possible Southern border of the site.

This Google Map shows where the East-West lane goes.

Note.

  1. The lane leads to Queen Mary’s High School.
  2. The school also has access from Lieutenant Ellis Way.
  3. The New River appears to form, the Eastern boundary of the school site.
  4. There are sports pitches between the New River and the school.

The New River looks to be the Western boundary of the Google site.

This Google Map shows around the red arrow from the Google search that led me to this area.

Note.

  1. A.J. Maxwell is identified by the red arrow in the Theobalds Enterprise Centre.
  2. The New River can be seen at the West of the map.
  3. A hedge runs roughly East-West to the North of the Enterprise Centre.
  4. North of the hedge are a number of football pitches, which appear to belong to the Affinity Academy at Goffs Churchgate.

The hedge could be the Northern boundary of the Google site.

This Google Map shows the area between the South of the Enterprise Centre and the East-West lane I picked out earlier.

A crude measurement indicates it could be around 33 acres or slightly more.

This picture is used in nearly all the news reports about the Data Centre.

Note.

  1. Could that be the gentle curve of the New River on the left?
  2. With the high fence, the New River forms an almost-mediaeval defence against trespassers.
  3. There looks to be a dual-carriageway road running down the other side of the site, which would be the A10.
  4. Between the A10 and the site, there appears to be loots of dark areas, which I take to be car parks.
  5. Are the car-parking spaces in the front of the picture marked for those, who are disabled? There certainly appear to be chargers on some spaces.

I have a few thoughts.

The Relative Locations Of Google’s Data Centre And Sunset Studios?

This Google Map shows the two sites to the West of the A10.

Note.

  1. St. Mary’s High School is in the North-West corner of the map.
  2. Cheshunt Football Club is in the North-East corner of the map.
  3. The dual-carriageway A10 runs North-South on the map.
  4. I believe that Google’s Waltham Cross Data Centre will be located in the field to the West of the A10, at the top of the map.
  5. The A10 connects to the M25 at Junction 25, which is in the centre at the bottom of the map.
  6. In The Location Of Sunset Studios In Broxbourne,  Sunset Studios are placed to the North West of the Junction 25 roundabout.
  7. Just as the A10 forms the Eastern boundary of both sites, the New River forms the Western boundary.

The two sites are close together between the A10 and the New River, separated by the dual-carriageway Lieutenant Ellis Way.

Will Google’s Data Centre Be Storing Data For Sunset Studios?

I’ve never worked in the production of films, but these days with digital electronic cameras, CGI, motion capture and other techniques, producing a film must need huge amounts of data storage.

  • So have Sunset Studios outsourced their data storage needs to Google?
  • Perhaps too, Sunset Studios found the local authority welcoming and this attitude was recommended to Google.
  • Both sites will need local services like electricity, gas, sewage and water.

I suspect that there would be cost savings in construction and operation, if the two sites shared the utilities.

Providing Electricity And Heat For Both Sites

Consider.

  • I estimate from information given in the Wikipedia entry for Google Data Centres, that a data centre needs between 10 and 12 MW.
  • There is no obvious power source like offshore wind or a nuclear power station nearby.
  • There is the 715 MW Rye House gas-fired power station, which is a few miles away.
  • In Google Buys Scottish Offshore Wind Power, I talked about how Google had signed a Corporate Power Purchase Agreement to buy 100 MW from the Moray West offshore wind farm.

Google and Sunset Studios would also want an electrical and heat supply that is at least 100 % reliable.

Liverpool University had the same problem on their hundred acre campus in the centre of Liverpool.

  • The University decided to build their own 4 MW Combined Heat and Power Unit (CHP), which is described in this data sheet.
  • It is fired by natural gas.
  • On their web site, Liverpool University state that their CHP can be adapted to different fuel blends. I take this includes zero-carbon fuels like hydrogen and carbon-neutral fuels like biomethane.

But given their location in Waltham Cross close to the Lea Valley, CHP units may have a use for their carbon dioxide.

This Google Map shows between Junction 15 of the M25 and Tomworld.

Note.

  1. Junction 25 of the M25, where it joins the A10 is in the South-West corner of the map.
  2. The sites of Google’s Data Centre and Sunset Studios can be picked out with reference to the previous map.
  3. Tomworld is in the North-East corner of the map.
  4. So why should Tomworld need a lot of carbon-dioxide?

This Google Map shows Tomworld.

Note.

  1. This web page indicates what Tomworld do.
  2. They have 44 acres of glass growing tomatoes, about five miles to the North-East of Google’s Data Centre.
  3. The map has lots of other greenhouses.

I know of a guy, who has a large greenhouse, that grows tomatoes for the supermarkets.

  • He heats the greenhouse with a gas-fired Combined Heat and Power Unit (CHP).
  • The electricity produced runs his business.
  • Any surplus electricity is fed into the grid.
  • The carbon dioxide is fed to the plants in the greenhouse, which helps them grow quality tomatoes.

I just wonder, if carbon dioxide from CHP units at Google’s Data Centre and Sunset Studios could be used by the multitude of greenhouses in the Lea Valley.

Could A Carbon Dioxide Pipeline Be Built Along The M25?

This Google Map shows the Northern section of the M25, South of Waltham Cross.

Note.

  1. The M25 running East-West across the bottom of the map.
  2. Junction 25 of the M25 in the South-West corner of the map.
  3. The A10 running North-South at the West of the map.
  4. Google’s data centre and Sunset Studio are to the West of the A10.
  5. The River Lee, which has numerous water courses is at the East of the map.

I wonder, if a carbon dioxide pipeline could be built along the M25 to connect the producers to those who could use it?

  • It would not be a dangerous pipeline as carbon dioxide is a fire extinguisher.
  • It wouldn’t be a huge pipe.

I think it would be possible.

Google’s Commitment To Being Zero-Carbon

This blog post on the Google web site is entitled Our $1 Billion Investment In A New UK Data Centre, has a section, which has a sub-title of 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy By 2030, where this is a paragraph.

Additionally, we’re also exploring new and innovative ways to use the heat generated by data centres, and this new facility will also have provisions for off-site heat recovery. Off-site heat recovery presents an opportunity for energy conservation that benefits the local community, as it allows us to capture the heat generated by the data centre so that it can be used by nearby homes and businesses. The data centre is also set to deploy an air-based cooling system.

If they are  using off-site heat recovery, it would be logical to use waste carbon dioxide from CHPs to provide carbon dioxide for the local horticultural businesses.

Will Google Be Building A Vertical Farm Nearby?

In Schneider Electric: Vertical Farming – The Next Yield In Data Centre Sustainability, I noted that some data centres are paired with vertical farms to increase their sustainability.

Could Google be doing that in Waltham Cross?

  • They will have a lot of waste heat.
  • They will have a fair bit of carbon dioxide, which could be used to help plants grow.
  • The local workforce probably contains a lot of experience of market gardening.

I like the idea of pairing a data centre and a vertical farm.

Public Transport Access

Consider.

  • Increasingly, the cost of electric vehicles, medical problems and the UK economic situation are causing people to adopt a car-free lifestyle.
  • After my stroke, my eyesight deteriorated such, that I am no longer allowed to drive.
  • Others may live in one-car families and it may not be their’s to use every day.
  • Or your car may just break down on the way to work.

For these and probably lots of other reasons, any large site employing a lot of employees, must have a valid way of getting there by public transport.

The nearest rail station to Google’s Data Centre and Sunset Studios is Theobalds Grove station.

This Google Map shows the roads between the sites and the station.

Note.

  1. The Sunset Waltham Cross label in the South West corner.
  2. Google’s Data Centre will be just off the map to the West of the A10.
  3. Theobalds Grove station is marked by the TfL roundel in the North-East corner of the map.
  4. There would appear to be no bus stops on Winston Churchill Way or the A10.

I walked South from the station to Winston Churchill Way, where I took these pictures.

Note.

  1. At that point, I gave up because of the cold and pollution.
  2. It was also a Saturday morning about midday.

The route I took is certainly not an alternative route to get to Google’s Data Centre or Sunset Studios.

A Possible Station At Park Plaza North

This article on the BBC is entitled Broxbourne: Two New Stations Planned.

This is the sub-heading.

Two new train stations could be built in Hertfordshire if plans to tighten planning policies are adopted.

This is the first paragraph.

Broxbourne Borough Council said stops at Park Plaza North – between Turkey Street and Theobalds Grove London Overground stations – and Turnford on the London to Bishop’s Stortford route would be subject to a consultation.

Later the BBC say that Park Plaza North station will be South of the A121 Winston Churchill Way near Waltham Cross

This Google Map shows the area South-East of the roundabout, where Winston Churchill Way meets the A10.

Note.

  1. The green patch of land to the South-East of the roundabout where Winston Churchill Way meets the A10 appears to be ripe for development.
  2. Looking at the green patch with a higher resolution, the land is little more than high class scrub beloved of newts.
  3. The London Overground line to Cheshunt runs down the East side of the site.
  4. To the North, the London Overground crosses Winston Churchill Way to get to Theobalds Grove station.
  5. To the South, the London Overground crosses the M25 to get to Turkey Street station.
  6. There is a lane running East-West along the South edge of the site, which crosses the railway in a level crossing.

This picture clipped from Google StreetView shows the level crossing.

This is certainly one, that drivers dread.

This GoogleMap shows the level crossing and a stretch of the London Overground.

Note.

  1. The level crossing is in the South-East corner of the map.
  2. There isn’t much space to put a London-bound platform on the East side of the tracks, South of the Park Road circle.
  3. There is plenty of space to put a Cheshunt-bound platform on the West side of the tracks.
  4. North of the Park Road circle, there would appear to be space for two platforms.

It will need a lot of ingenuity to provide a safe and efficient solution to the problems of the level crossing and fitting a station in this limited space.

The first thing I’d do, would be to dig an underpass for pedestrians and cyclists to connect the two halves of Park Lane.

 

 

 

 

January 21, 2024 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Computing, Energy, Food, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

EDF Receives Green Light For Solar Farm At The Macallan Estate

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Solar Power Portal.

These three paragraphs outline the story.

Energy company EDF Renewables UK has been granted the green light to develop a 4MW solar farm to decarbonise the production of The Macallan’s single malt Scotch whisky in Craigellachie.

Located at The Macallan Estate in north-east Scotland, the distillery company alongside EDF Renewables will integrate ground-mounted solar panels to deliver up to 50% of the daytime electricity needs at peak output. In doing so, this could provide 30% of the site’s yearly electricity demand.

A key aspect of the project is biodiversity and local community engagement – aspects of solar projects which regular readers of Solar Power Portal will be aware of across a number of different schemes.

This Google Map shows the Macallan Estate about sixty miles to the North-West of Aberdeen.

This page on the Macallan Estate web site gives details about the company, its whisky and principles.

As the estate is 485 acres, they’ve certainly got enough space for 4 MW of solar panels.

I do wonder though if low- or zero-carbon whisky and other spirits is the way the industry is going.

Searching the Internet for “Zero-Carbon Whisky” gives some worthwhile results.

Scotland seems to be moving to make whisky at least carbon neutral.

There are also two hydrogen projects aimed at distilleries under development.

This is a paragraph from the home page of the Cromarty Hydrogen Project.

The Cromarty Hydrogen Project is the first project in the Scotland Hydrogen Programme. It originated from a collaboration between the Port of Cromarty Firth, ScottishPower, Glenmorangie, Whyte & Mackay and Diageo and the project originator, Storegga during the feasibility stage. This project is looking to develop a green hydrogen production hub in the Cromarty Firth region and revolves around the local distilleries forming the baseload demand for early phases of the project, which would enable them to decarbonise in line with their own ambitions and sector targets.

This project appears to be backed by three companies, who produce Scotch whisky.

In Major Boost For Hydrogen As UK Unlocks New Investment And Jobs, I said this.

I have just looked at the InchDairnie Distillery web site.

  • It looks a high class product.
  • The company is best described as Scotch Whisky Reimagined.
  • The company is based in Fife near Glenrothes.
  • They appear to have just launched a rye whisky, which they are aiming to export to Canada, Japan and Taiwan.

The press release says this about InchDairnie.

InchDairnie Distillery in Scotland, who plan to run a boiler on 100% hydrogen for use in their distilling process.

That would fit nicely with the image of the distillery.

I suspect the hydrogen will be brought in by truck.

Would a zero-carbon whisky be a hit at Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil parties?

Diageo

This page on the Diageo web site is entitled Accelerating To A Low Carbon World.

It would probably help if more companies thought like Diageo.

Conclusion

Macallan are certainly going in the right direction.

 

 

January 16, 2024 Posted by | Energy, Hydrogen | , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

New LNER Fleet To Have Joint Line Capability

The title of this post, is the same as that of an article in the January 2024 edition of Modern Railways.

This is the text of the article.

LNER’s new fleet of CAF tri-mode trains, for which an order was confirmed in November, has been specified with the capability  to operate via the Joint Line via Spalding and Lincoln in case of closures on the East Coast Main Line between Peterborough and Doncaster.

CAF will supply 10×10-car trains with overhead electric, battery and diesel capability, financed by Porterbrook. The inclusion of diesel engines as part of the winning bid, rather than a straightforward battery-electric  unit, has surprised some observers, but LNER’s specification was that the fleet should have sufficient self-powered capability to cover the length of the joint line, which is approximately 90 miles. This is currently to be  considered to be beyond the scope of battery-power alone, although as the technology evolves diesel engines could be replaced by batteries. The configuration of diesel engines and batteries within the sets has yet to be decided.

LNER frequently uses the Joint Line as a diversionary route, both during planned engineering work and at times of disruption, but only its bi-mode Azumas are currently able to traverse it under their own power (electric sets have been hauled by a diesel locomotive, but this is now a very rare occurrence). The new CAF fleet will replace the InterCity 225 electric fleet, and the self-power capability will provide valuable resilience to LNER to divert via non-electrified routes.

While the ‘225s’ are currently confined to services between King’s Cross and Leeds/York, if the enhanced December 2024 timetable goes ahead as currently planned (see story above) they will operate north of York once again on some of the hourly services which will terminate at Newcastle. However, LNER is having to limit the use of the sets  before the Class 91 locomotives and Mk 4 coaches come due for major overhauls: the decision to retain 12 locos and eight rakes of coaches was based on the intended timescale for replacing the fleet at the time, but confirming the order for the new CAF tri-modes has taken longer than anticipated, largely due to delays in receiving Government approval to place the order.

This article has got me thinking.

The InterCity225 Trains Need Replacing Urgently

The Modern Railways article states that the need to replace the InterCity 225s is getting urgent, as more than the Azumas will be needed for the December 2024 timetable and the InterCity 225s are getting to the end of their economic life.

As LNER have been doing reasonably well lately, a cock-up caused by lack of trains at Christmas 2024 would be the last thing they need.

Currently, LNER have enough Mark 4 coaches for eight trains, so ordering ten new CAF tri-mode trains will allow for a small amount of extra services.

The CAF tri-mode trains were only ordered in November 2023, so getting them delivered for December 2024 would be tight.

As I write this on the 31st December 2023, trains from King’s Cross to Leeds included.

  • 5 x InterCity225
  • 5 x 10-car Azuma
  • 7 x 9-car Azuma
  • 2 x 5-car Azuma

So there were InterCity 225s running on that day.

A Few Distances Around Lincolnshire

I believe that because of offshore wind, interconnectors and other renewable energy developments, that Lincolnshire will become an energy powerhouse, supporting the East Midlands and also exporting electricity and hydrogen to Europe through pipelines and interconnectors.

Because of this and other developments, I believe that rail passenger traffic to and around the county will increase significantly.

These are a few selected distances.

  • Doncaster and Cleethorpes – 52.1 miles
  • Grantham and Skegness – 58.2 miles
  • Lincoln and Doncaster – 36.8 miles
  • Lincoln and Newark – 16.8 miles
  • Lincoln and Peterborough – 54.8 miles
  • Lincoln and Cleethorpes – 47.2 miles

Note.

  1. This means that the length of the Joint Line, which between Werrington Junction and where it rejoins the East Coast Main Line to the South of Doncaster is no more than ninety miles. This ninety mile distance was assumed in the Modern Railways article.
  2. Peterborough and Cleethorpes via Lincoln is ninety-two miles.
  3. I estimate that around four miles could be easily electrified at Werrington, which would reduce these two distances by four miles.
  4. Newark and Cleethorpes via Lincoln is sixty-four miles.

It looks like if a battery-electric train had a range of 92 miles and there was charging at Cleethorpes and Skegness, Lincolnshire could have a first class zero-carbon rail service.

CAF Tri-Mode Trains And The Joint Line

This is the first sentence in the Modern Railways article.

LNER’s new fleet of CAF tri-mode trains, for which an order was confirmed in November, has been specified with the capability  to operate via the Joint Line via Spalding and Lincoln in case of closures on the East Coast Main Line between Peterborough and Doncaster.

Note.

  1. The Modern Railways article states the Joint Line is approximately 90 miles.
  2. As I stated earlier with some strategically placed electrification at Werrington and South of Doncaster, this distance without electrification can probably be shortened by a few miles.

It looks like any service run by a CAF tri-mode train will be able to use the Joint Line.

Hitachi Class 801 Trains And The Joint Line

Unless the Joint Line is electrified or the all-electric Class 801 trains are fitted with batteries of a sufficient size the Class 801 trains will not be able to use the Joint Line.

Hitachi Class 800/802 Trains And The Joint Line

If currently, the Class 800/802 trains can handle the Joint Line on their diesel engines, they can continue to do this.

Hitachi Class 803 Trains And The Joint Line

Unless the Joint Line is electrified or Class 803 trains are fitted with batteries of a sufficient size the Class 803 trains will not be able to use the Joint Line.

Hitachi Class 80x Trains With Batteries And The Joint Line

Note that Lumo’s Class 803 trains are already fitted with an emergency battery for hotel power. So Hitachi must have information on how their batteries perform in service.

This press release from Hitachi, which is entitled Hitachi And Eversholt Rail To Develop GWR Intercity Battery Hybrid Train – Offering Fuel Savings Of More Than 20% announced the start of Hitachi’s battery-electric program in December 2020.

This is a paragraph.

The projected improvements in battery technology – particularly in power output and charge – create opportunities to replace incrementally more diesel engines on long distance trains. With the ambition to create a fully electric-battery intercity train – that can travel the full journey between London and Penzance – by the late 2040s, in line with the UK’s 2050 net zero emissions target.

Hitachi have now published this page on their web site, which is entitled Intercity Battery Trains.

The page has this sub-heading.

Accelerate the decarbonisation of intercity rail with batteries

These are the first two paragraphs.

A quick and easy application of battery technology is to install it on existing or future Hitachi intercity trains. Hitachi Rail’s modular design means this can be done without the need to re-engineer or rebuild the train and return them to service as quickly as possible for passengers.

Replacing one diesel engine with just one battery reduces emissions by more than 20% and offers cost savings of 20-30%. Our intercity battery powered trains can cover 70km on non-electrified routes, operating at intercity speeds at the same or increased performance.

It appears to be a masterful application of an old electrical or software engineer’s trick.

In the 1960s, I spent time in two summer holidays building transistorised control systems in a rolling mills to replace obsolete control systems that used thermionic valves and relays.

Are Hitachi just replacing a diesel power pack with a battery pack, that has the same power and control functionality?

In The Data Sheet For Hitachi Battery Electric Trains, I looked at Hitachi’s published data sheet, which has these bullet points.

  • 750kW peak power
  • Weight neutral
  • At least 20% lower CO2 emissions
  • 70km on non-electrified routes
  • 20% reduction in whole life maintenance costs
  • Up to 30% fuel cost savings
  • Zero emissions in and out of stations
  • Charge on the move
  • 10 year life span

Note.

  1. 750 kW peak power, is around the power of the diesel-engine, that will be replaced.
  2. I wouldn’t be surprised that powerwise, the battery pack looks like a diesel engine.
  3. Weight neutral means that acceleration and performance will be unchanged. I suspect this means that current timetables can be achieved.
  4. Batteries are easier to maintain than diesels.
  5. It is stated that a train can be fully-decarbonised.

I have a feeling these trains are no ordinary battery-electric trains.

This paragraph, that I quoted earlier gives details on battery range.

Replacing one diesel engine with just one battery reduces emissions by more than 20% and offers cost savings of 20-30%. Our intercity battery powered trains can cover 70km on non-electrified routes, operating at intercity speeds at the same or increased performance.

If one battery can give seventy kilometres or 43.5 miles, what distances would be possible in the various Hitachi Class 80x trains on the UK rail network?

  • Five-car Class 800 – Three diesel engines
  • Nine-car Class 800 – Five diesel engines
  • Five-car Class 801 – One diesel engine
  • Nine-car Class 801 – One diesel engine
  • Five-car Class 802 – Three diesel engines
  • Nine-car Class 802 – Five diesel engines
  • Five-car Class 803 – One battery
  • Five-car Class 805 – Three diesel engines
  • Seven-car Class 807 – No diesel engine or battery
  • Five-car Class 810 – Four diesel engines

Note.

  1. The Class 801 trains have one diesel engine for emergency use.
  2. The Class 803 trains have one battery for emergency use.
  3. The Class 807 trains appear to be built for top speed and acceleration and have no unnecessary weight.

In The Data Sheet For Hitachi Battery Electric Trains, I came to the conclusion, that if all diesel engine packs are be replaced by batteries, the train has a range of around 117-121 miles.

If my calculation is correct, I believe that Hitachi battery-electric trains will be capable of using the Joint Line, if all diesel engines are replaced by battery packs.

Surely, if a number of Hitachi trains could use the Joint Line in addition to the ten CAF tri-mode trains, this would minimise disruption to passengers and increase revenue on days, when the East Coast Main Line was closed for engineering works or an incident.

Will The Hitachi Class 80x Trains With Batteries Or The CAF Tri-Mode Trains Have The Longer Range Without Electrification?

Consider.

  • Cleethorpes could be the problem, as it is 64 miles from Newark and 92 miles from Peterborough and a round trip without charging at Cleethorpes for a battery-electric might be a trip to far.
  • But a tri-mode train like that from CAF with an on-board diesel, should have the range.
  • More range for a tri-mode train, just needs bigger fuel tanks.
  • I also suspect Cleethorpes has the equipment to refuel a diesel train, as all services to the station are diesel powered.

The article also says this.

The inclusion of diesel engines as part of the winning bid, rather than a straightforward battery-electric  unit, has surprised some observers, but LNER’s specification was that the fleet should have sufficient self-powered capability to cover the length of the joint line, which is approximately 90 miles. This is currently to be  considered to be beyond the scope of battery-power alone, although as the technology evolves diesel engines could be replaced by batteries.

Could it be that some of LNER’s routes like Aberdeen, Cleethorpes and Inverness have longer running without electrification, than Hitachi’s trains with batteries can achieve. Perhaps, this is why they lost the order?

Pairs Of Hitachi Class 80x Trains With Batteries And The Joint Line

I suspect if one five-car train with batteries can handle the Joint Line, then a pair could also handle it, if the train’s control system allowed it.

Will The Joint Line Be Slower Than The East Coast Main Line?

Consider.

  • The Joint Line is not the slowest line in the country and large sections of the route, have a top speed of 60 mph or higher.
  • It is surprisingly straight.
  • There are some slower sections, through Lincoln and Sleaford.
  • The average speed between Peterborough and Lincoln of local trains is about 50 mph.
  • The average speed between Doncaster and Lincoln of local trains is about 48 mph.

I suspect that the expresses, should be able to achieve 60 mph between Peterborough and Doncaster, with a small amount of track improvement.

This would mean the following times between Doncaster and Peterborough.

  • Via the Joint Line – 90 minutes
  • Via East Coast Main Line – 50 minutes

It looks like forty minutes will be added to journey times.

Would There Be Any Point In Running Some Services Via The Joint Line?

Consider.

  • Lincoln has one train per two hours (tp2h) to and from King’s Cross.
  • A King’s Cross and Doncaster service could use the Joint Line and call at Peterborough, Spalding, Sleaford, Lincoln Central, Gainsborough Lea Road and Doncaster.
  • If it terminated at Harrogate, Leeds or York, it could ease congestion on the East Coast Main Line between Peterborough and Doncaster.
  • Lincoln is making a name for itself as a University town.
  • Lincolnshire is getting more important with respect to renewable energy and innovative food production.
  • The frequency would be at least one tp2h.
  • If needed, Lincoln Central could be electrified to charge passing trains.
  • The service could also go via Cambridge to provide East Anglia and its technological powerhouse with better connections to and from the North.

It would all depend on where extra rail services are needed.

Could Cleethorpes And Grimsby Town Have A Service From King’s Cross?

In Azuma Test Train Takes To The Tracks As LNER Trials Possible New Route, I discuss how in June 2023, LNER ran a test train to Cleethorpes and Grimsby Town.

  • With all the energy development going on in North-East Lincolnshire, I suspect that a service between King’s Cross and Cleethorpes via Lincoln, Market Rasen, Barnetby and Grimsby Town could be viable.
  • I suspect that the energy developments could find recruitment difficult and say a one tp2h service to Peterborough might ease the problem.
  • Whether it ran to Lincoln via Newark and the East Coast Main Line or via Spalding and Sleaford would be down to predicted traffic.
  • The distance via Newark would be 64 miles or 128 miles return.
  • The distance via Peterborough would be 92 miles or 184 miles return.
  • These distances would probably mean that a battery-electric train would need charging at Cleethorpes.

So would it be better if the Cleethorpes trains were to be run by CAF tri-mode trains.

Could Cleethorpes Services Be Paired With The York Service?

The current King’s Cross and Lincoln service uses the same path as a York service.

  • Both services leave King’s Cross at six minutes past the hour.
  • York trains leave at odd hours.
  • Lincoln trains leave at even hours.

If the York service used the Joint Line and the Lincoln service were to be extended to Cleethorpes, Lincoln would receive an hourly service.

  • One service could go via Newark and the other via Peterborough, Spalding and Sleaford.
  • A path on the East Coast Main Line would be saved.
  • The service to York could go via Leeds.
  • The York service could be extended to Middlesbrough, Scarborough or Sunderland.
  • I suspect that timings to Cleethorpes and York could be a similar six-hour round trip.
  • CAF tri-mode trains would be needed for the Cleethorpes services.
  • Either train type could work the York services.

There are various possibilities to improve the train service been London and Lincolnshire.

What Will Be The Maximum Range Of The CAF Tri-Mode Trains?

When determining this, LNER would probably have taken into account all current and every possible service, that they might run in the future, which was not fully electrified.

These would include.

  • London King’s Cross and Aberdeen – 91.4 miles
  • London King’s Cross and Bradford Interchange via Shaftholme junction – 47.8 miles
  • London King’s Cross and Cleethorpes via Newark and Lincoln – 64 miles
  • London King’s Cross and Cleethorpes via Peterborough, Spalding and Lincoln – 92 miles
  • London King’s Cross and Harrogate via Leeds – 18.3 miles
  • London King’s Cross and Inverness– 151.1 miles
  • London King’s Cross and Hull via Temple Hirst junction – 36.1 miles
  • London King’s Cross and Lincoln – 16.8 miles
  • London King’s Cross and Middlesbrough via Northallerton – 20.3 miles
  • London King’s Cross and Scarborough via York – 42.1 miles
  • London King’s Cross and Sunderland via Northallerton – 47.4 miles

They would also have taken in possible diversion routes.

  • London King’s Cross and Carlisle via Leeds – 86.8 miles
  • London and Edinburgh – 400 miles
  • London King’s Cross and Newcastle via Northallerton and Durham Coast Line – 59.6 miles

Note.

  1. The distance is the length without electrification.
  2. London King’s Cross and Carlisle is a possible diversion route, if between Leeds and Edinburgh is blocked.
  3. A London King’s Cross and Edinburgh capability might be needed, if there was something like a serious weather problem, bringing down the overhead wires.
  4. London King’s Cross and Newcastle via Northallerton and Durham Coast Line is a possible diversion route, if between Northallerton and Newcastle is blocked.

LNER’s longest route without electrification is to Inverness and it is 151.1 miles between Stirling and Inverness.

London King’s Cross and Cleethorpes via Peterborough, Spalding and Lincoln could be longer, if it were to be run as a return trip of 184 miles.

LNER will probably have specified the range they need on the longest route they run or might run in the future, as there is no point in buying a fleet of trains and then finding that they can’t handle all your routes. They would also include all possible emergency routes, just as they’ve already included the Joint Line.

Out of curiosity I asked Professor Google how far a diesel train could run on a full tank of diesel and got this answer.

According to the traction manual for 158/159 stock each coach has a 400 gallon tank or 1818 Ltr. £2500 at the filling station.

The manual also says that that is enough fuel to travel Waterloo to Exeter and back twice over. Which is 688 miles exactly. Guess there is spare in there for shunting and idling at terminus. Still an mpg of 1.7.

It looks to me, that if a humble Class 158/159 train has a range of nearly 700 miles, then LNER can probably have virtually any distance they want for their new trains.

These journeys will probably all be possible.

  • Between London King’s Cross and Edinburgh – 400 miles
  • A round trip between Stirling and Inverness – 302.2 miles
  • A round trip between Peterborough and Cleethorpes – 184 miles

Professor Google also gives the diesel range of a Class 800 train as 650 miles.

Conclusion

It looks to me, that LNER, Lumo and FirstGroup have a serious plan to decarbonise their network.

All services, that can be decarbonised by replacing diesel generator units, with electrical battery packs.

LNER’s longer routes will use the new CAF trains.

These will be fully decarbonised at a later date.

 

 

 

 

January 1, 2024 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What Will Be The Power Unit In LNER’s New CAF Tri-Mode Trains?

There is a short article in the January 2024 Edition of Modern Railways, that is entitled New LNER Fleet To Have Joint Line Capability.

This is said about the diesel engines in the new CAF tri-mode trains.

CAF will supply 10×10-car trains with overhead electric, battery and diesel capability, financed by Porterbrook. The inclusion of diesel engines as part of the winning bid, rather than a straightforward battery-electric  unit, has surprised some observers, but LNER’s specification was that the fleet should have sufficient self-powered capability to cover the length of the joint line, which is approximately 90 miles. This is currently to be  considered to be beyond the scope of battery-power alone, although as the technology evolves diesel engines could be replaced by batteries. The configuration of diesel engines and batteries within the sets has yet to be decided.

As the paragraph says that the diesel engines can be replaced by batteries and the trains are from CAF’s modular Civity family, it sounds like CAF are using a modular power system.

The CAF Class 195, 196 and 197 diesel multiple units, that are used in the UK,  use mtu Railcar Power Packs, which are shown on this web page.

mtu are a Rolls-Royce subsidiary.

mtu also make a Hybrid Power Pack, which is shown on this web page.

This is the sub-title on the web page.

Individual hybrid drive with a modular design

Underneath is this sub-heading.

It takes revolutionary thinking to develop a smart rail drive system like the Hybrid PowerPack. Find out what makes mtu different, and why our Hybrid PowerPack brings added value to operators while benefiting passengers and the environment alike.

These paragraphs describe the mtu Hybrid PowerPack.

The Hybrid PowerPack was developed from the successful mtu underfloor drives: Tried and tested mtu PowerPacks were modified and equipped with additional components and functionalities in order to integrate hybrid technology. The mtu hybrid concept consists of a modular kit with a variety of drive elements. It satisfies all existing railway standards and can be arranged according to customer specifications.

Thanks to its compact design and the use of power-dense electrical machines, the Hybrid PowerPack can be easily integrated in the existing installation space under the floor, both in new rail vehicles or for repowering. mtu EnergyPacks – the energy storage – can be positioned at various places in the vehicle: on the roof or underfloor. The modular design creates great flexibility for operators who are planning new diesel hybrid vehicles or want to convert existing vehicles.

Based on specifications for the hybrid train and the profile of the planned routes, mtu can simulate the lifecycle costs (capital, maintenance and operating costs) of specific projects. This means that a variety of drive options can be defined even before the design stage. Together with you, we then determine an optimal concept based on your needs.

Note.

  1. mtu Hybrid PowerPacks can be used in new rail vehicles or for repowering.
  2. It looks to me, that the total of 161 of Class 195, 196 and 197 trains, that will soon be all in service in the UK may well have been designed to be converted to hybrid power using mtu Hybrid PowerPacks.
  3. In Would You Buy A Battery Energy Storage System From Rolls-Royce?, I talk about how mtu EnergyPacks are also used for battery storage.
  4. In fact, mtu EnergyPacks could be the secret ingredient to both systems.

This looks like a typical Rolls-Royce product, that pushes the design to the full.

I will be very surprised if LNER’s new CAF tri-mode trains are not powered by mtu Hybrid PowerPacks.

I have a few thoughts.

CAF Are Going For A Proven Solution

CAF are going for a proven power solution, that they will also need for 161 trains in the UK.

Integration of systems like these can be difficult but CAF are using another company to combine diesel, electric and battery power in an efficient way.

I also feel that mtu Hybrid PowerPacks have a big future and Rolls Royce mtu will do what it takes to make sure they dominate the market.

Decarbonising The Trains

I suspect given Rolls-Royce’s philosophy, that the diesel engines will run on sustainable fuels from delivery.

But as the extract from the Modern Railways article says, the space used by diesel engines can be used for batteries.

Follow The Money

Consider.

  1. Porterbrook and Rolls-Royce are both based in Derby.
  2. Porterbrook are a rolling stock leasing company, who own a lot of rolling stock, that could be converted to hybrid trains, using mtu Hybrid PowerPacks.
  3. Porterbrook are financing  LNER’s new CAF tri-mode trains.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Porterbrook and Rolls-Royce have done a lot of due diligence on these trains.

Other Train Operators Will Follow

LNER’s new CAF tri-mode trains may be a bespoke design for LNER, but other train operators will need a similar train.

  • CrossCountry need a replacement low-carbon fleet.
  • ScotRail need a replacement fleet for their Inter7City services.
  • Great Western Railway need a replacement fleet for their GWR Castles.
  • Grand Central need a replacement low-carbon fleet.
  • TransPennine Express need new trains.
  • Open Access Operator Grand Union Trains will need trains.

I think CAF are gong to be busy.

Conclusion

The more I read about Rolls-Royce and its engineering, the more I’m impressed.

 

January 1, 2024 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

TCP Is Using Hydrogen To Create Cleaner Construction Sites

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Eastern Daily Press.

This is the sub-heading.

Air and noise pollution are challenges for every construction project. For green energy infrastructure developers especially, cutting emissions is a pressing conundrum.

These are the first four paragraphs.

Large-scale construction demands diesel-guzzling heavy plant and noisy diesel generators powering off-grid site work for years before a project generates its first clean energy.

Back in 2012, Andrew Barker identified hydrogen as a fuel of the future and a solution to pollution issues during construction projects in his Essex-based family business, Taylor Construction Plant (TCP Group).

His concerns about health issues caused by carbon emissions, combined with a drive to make a difference, led to game changing inventions using hydrogen to transform power for site operations – making sites better neighbours, with fewer health dangers to site workers and helping the drive against climate change.

He developed his first hydrogen powered product more than a decade ago – mobile lighting towers that are the flagship product for the business and first choice for building and maintenance projects across the UK on the mission to net zero.

It appears now Andrew Barker has a strong business, which can be found at this web site.

December 15, 2023 Posted by | Hydrogen, News | , , , , | Leave a comment

Guardian To Use Hydrogen In Its Glass Manufacturing

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Glass International.

These two paragraphs introduce the application.

Ryze Hydrogen has signed a long-term deal to provide hydrogen to flat glass manufacturer, Guardian Glass

Ryze will supply hydrogen to be used in the manufacture of float glass, which is used in everything from car windscreens and windows in buildings to mirrors and furniture.

This extract from the article explains how the hydrogen is used.

It will be used as a technical gas during the float glass process.

Chris Duguid, Plant Manager from Guardian Glass, said: “We are really pleased to be starting this partnership with Ryze.

“Hydrogen is vital to our float glass production process. Hydrogen is used to create an oxygen-free environment as a blanket to avoid oxidation of the tin onto which we float molten glass.

“As this is needed 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, 365-days-a-year, it is absolutely critical that we partner with a reliable supplier, which is what we have with Ryze.”

This Wikipedia section, describes the manufacture of float glass.

I’ve never come across a use for hydrogen, where the gas is used for its physical properties and not burned for heat.

How many other applications like this, will the ready availability of hydrogen open up?

I wonder, if the next step will be to use hydrogen to heat the tin and create the actual glass, so that Guardian Glass will be able to make zero-carbon glass.

As the temperatures required are over a 1000 °C, this process could use a lot of hydrogen.

As Guardian Glass are based at Goole, I suspect that they’ll be able to get a hydrogen pipeline from the electrolyser, that SSE are building on Humberside.

December 14, 2023 Posted by | Hydrogen | , , , , | Leave a comment

UK Offshore Wind And CCS Colocation Projects Kick Off

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.

This is the sub-heading.

The Offshore Wind and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Colocation Forum (the Forum), set up to provide strategic coordination of colocation research and activity on the nation’s seabed, has commissioned two research projects.

These first two paragraphs, which set objectives and possible methods for the two projects.

The projects are designed to inform the best approach to test and demonstrate the colocation of offshore wind and CCS activities in the future.

The research projects – Project Colocate and Project Anemone – build on the Forum’s Spatial Characterisation Report, which identified areas of potential overlap for offshore wind and CCS on the seabed, and NSTA’s Seismic Imaging Report, which explored various options for monitoring carbon storage and offshore wind sites to help resolve possible colocation issues.

These are the two projects.

Project Colocate, which is described in the article like this.

Delivered by the University of Aberdeen with funding from the Crown Estate and Crown Estate Scotland, Project Colocate will investigate the viability of areas on the seabed for colocation of CCS and offshore wind, with bespoke monitoring plans for each area.

Researchers from the University of Aberdeen will focus their investigations on the East Irish Sea and Central North Sea, both of which have been identified as having significant potential for future colocation of CCS and offshore wind, according to the Crown Estate.

Project Anenome, which is described in the article like this.

The complementary Project Anemone will explore mutually beneficial opportunities arising from the colocation of these developing industries.

The project aims to identify and map the routes to realising these opportunities to create practical guidance for how offshore wind and CCS technologies can operate alongside each other – from construction to decommissioning.

It does appear to be a lot of sensible thinking and words, although neither project appears to yet have a website.

This paragraph is a nice tailpiece to the article.

To achieve the UK’s net zero targets, the UK Government is targeting the delivery of 50 GW of offshore wind energy and the capture of 20-30 million tonnes of CO2 per year by 2030.

I’ve mentioned 50 GW of offshore wind before, but 20-30 million tonnes is a lot of CO2.

November 29, 2023 Posted by | Energy | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Carew Castle Express Unveiled In Carmarthen

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail UK.

These are the first two paragraphs.

The ‘Carew Castle Express’ has been unveiled to mark the introduction of brand-new Transport for Wales (TfW) trains between Swansea and Carmarthen.

Named as part of TfW’s Magnificent Train Journey competition, the name ‘Carew Castle Express’ was chosen by year 5 pupil Rhys Protheroe from Johnstown Primary School in Carmarthen.

But perhaps, this extract is the most significant statement in the article.

Soon every service west of Carmarthen will be on one of the brand-new trains.

Alexia Course, chief commercial officer for TfW, said: “We’re excited to be running our brand-new trains in West Wales and we’re adding more to our network every few weeks.

CAF and TfW don’t seem to be hanging about in getting these new trains into service.

But then, I suspect some of the trains they replace, will be going to the scrapyard in Newport.

How Will These Trains Be Decarbonised?

My one worry is that these Class 197 trains and the similar Class 195 trains at Northern and the Class 196 trains at West Midlands Trains are diesel powered.

Nothing has been said about how these 141 trains will be decarbonised.

But all three fleets have the same Rolls-Royce mtu 6H 1800 R85L engines, so at least one solution will fit all!

A Thought About LNER’s New Trains

These trains appear to have been delivered quickly.

Did this influence the decision of LNER to buy CAF trains for their fleet expansion?

November 17, 2023 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Data Sheet For Hitachi Battery Electric Trains

Was I just slow to spot this data sheet or has it only just been released?

You can download a copy from this page on the Hitachi web site.

In a section on the page, which is entitled Intercity Battery Trains, this is said.

A quick and easy application of battery technology is to install it on existing or future Hitachi intercity trains. Adding just one battery reduces emissions by more than 20% and offers cost savings of 20-30%.

Our intercity battery powered trains can cover 70km on non-electrified routes, operating at intercity speeds at the same or increased performance. Hitachi Rail’s modular design means this can be done without the need to re-engineer or rebuild the train and return them to service as quickly as possible for passengers.

These are my initial thoughts.

Plug-and-Play

It looks like the train is plug-and-play.

A diesel engine will be swapped for a battery-pack and the train’s computer controls the power sources accordingly.

Hitachi’s Battery Philosophy Explained

This is said on the data sheet.

Battery technology has the potential to play a significant role in the future of sustainable rail mobility, setting
the rail industry on the path to full intercity decarbonisation by 2050.
Installing batteries on intercity trains can complement electrification and provide a low emission alternative
to domestic air travel.

Our retrofit solution for intercity trains offers phased replacement of diesel engines at the time that they would
have been due for their regular heavy maintenance overhaul, replacing each engine in turn until trains are fully battery electric. The solution delivers fuel cost savings and lowers CO2 emissions by at least 20% for every engine replaced, and a 20% reduction in whole life maintenance costs – well within the battery’s life span of 8-10 years.

Performance On Battery Power

The data sheet gives these bullet points.

  • 750kW peak power
  • Weight neutral.
  • At least 20% lower CO2 emissions
  • 70km on non-electrified routes
  • 20% reduction in whole life maintenance costs
  • Up to 30% fuel cost savings
  • Zero emissions in and out of stations
  • Charge on the move
  • 10 year life span

Note.

  1. 750 kW peak power, is around the power of the diesel-engine, that will be replaced.
  2. I wouldn’t be surprised that powerwise, the battery pack looks like a diesel engine.
  3. Weight neutral means that acceleration, performance and handling will be unchanged.
  4. Batteries are easier to maintain than diesels.
  5. It is stated that a train can be fully-decarbonised.

I have a feeling these trains are no ordinary battery-electric trains.

Seventy Kilometre Range On Battery

Seventy kilometres is 43.5 miles.

This may not seem much, but the data sheet says this.

Our battery hybrid trains can cover 70km on non-electrified routes, operating at intercity speeds at the same
or increased performance. By identifying the routes with short non-electrified sections of 70km or less, we could
see the replacement of existing diesel trains with fully battery-operated trains on those routes within a year.
And, using battery power to avoid electrifying the hardest and most expensive areas, such as tunnels and bridges,
enables flexibility on electrification, minimising passenger disruption during upgrades.

Note.

  1. It looks like the trains can operate at 125 mph on battery power, where the track allows it. But then the rolling restistance of steel wheel on steel rail, is much lower, than that of rubber tyres on tarmac.
  2. Hitachi seem to have developed a philosophy on how the trains will be used.
  3. Hitachi’s pantographs, go up and down with all the alacrity of a whore’s drawers. They will be ideal for a short length of electrification.

I think these LNER routes could be immediately decarbonised.

  • LNER – London and Harrogate , where only 18.3 miles is unelectrified. Trains may not need charging, as a full battery could handle both ways.
  • LNER – London and Hull, where 36.1 miles is unelectrified. A short length of electrification to charge trains would be needed at Hull.
  • LNER – London and Lincoln, where only 16.7 miles is unelectrified. Trains would not need charging, as a full battery could handle both ways.
  • LNER – London and Middlesbrough, where only 20.3 miles is unelectrified. Trains would not need charging, as a full battery could handle both ways.

Note.

  1. It looks like some services could start fairly soon, once batteries are available.
  2. Hull Trains could use the 70 km batteries and charging at Hull, as it passed through. This would decarbonise Hull Trains passenger operations.
  3. Services to Aberdeen, Cleethorpes and Inverness would be out of range of the initial Hitachi trains.

Could the last point, partially explain the purchase of the CAF tri-mode trains, which I wrote about in First Tri-Mode Long Distance Trains For The East Coast Main Line?

We shall see what we shall see.

But having a choice of battery-electric or tri-mode trains will enable route development and decarbonisation.

What Is The Size Of The Battery Pack?

In How Much Power Is Needed To Run A Train At 125 Or 100 mph?, I estimated that to maintain 125 mph, a Class 801 train has a usage figure of 3.42 kWh per vehicle mile.

If a five-car Class 800 can run 70 km or 43.5 miles at 125 mph, as indicated by Hitachi, then the battery size can be calculated.

3.42 * 5 * 43.5 = 743.85 kWh

As the battery pack can supply 750 kW according to the data sheet, this looks like this will run the train for an hour.

Is that coincidence or a design criteria?

What Battery Capacity Would Be Needed For A Hundred Miles?

For a five-car train, this is the energy needed for a hundred miles.

3.42 *5 * 100 = 1710 kWh or three batteries.

For a nine-car train, this is the energy needed for a hundred miles.

3.42 *9 * 100 = 3078 kWh or five batteries.

It looks like all diesel engines will be replaced by batteries.

Will Class 801 Trains Swap Their Single Diesel Engine For a Battery Power Pack?

Consider.

  • Class 801 trains have a single diesel engine for emergency power.
  • Lumo’s Class 803 trains, are all-electric with a battery-pack for emergency hotel power only.
  • Hitachi must have full details on the performance of Lumo’s trains.
  • The East Coast Main Line is notorious for the wires to come tumbling down.
  • The diesel engine and the battery pack appear to weigh the same.
  • Batteries cost less to maintain than diesels.

I can’t see why the single diesel engine can’t be replaced by a standard battery pack, without loosing any functionality.

What Would Be The Range Of A Fully Battery-Electric Train?

This is a paragraph from a data sheet.

Our retrofit solution for intercity trains offers phased replacement of diesel engines at the time that they would
have been due for their regular heavy maintenance overhaul, replacing each engine in turn until trains are fully battery electric. The solution delivers fuel cost savings and lowers CO2 emissions by at least 20% for every engine replaced, and a 20% reduction in whole life maintenance costs – well within the battery’s life span of 8-10 years.

Note.

  1. It looks like Hitachi are expecting operators to replace engines in turn.
  2. Replacing engines with batteries saves the operators money.

As a five-car Class 800 train has three diesel engines and a nine-car train has five engines, does this mean that the range of fully-batteried Class 800 train is 70 km or 210 km?

  • A fully-batteried Class 800 train will weigh the same as the current diesel.
  • One battery can drive the train for 70 km at 125 mph according to Hitachi.
  • There are no branches of electrified lines that are 125 mph lines without electrification.
  • I would assume that the train can use regenerative braking to recharge the batteries.
  • 210 kilometres is 130 miles.

I don’t know much about the electrical systems of Hitachi’s trains, but it is likely that there will be an electrical bus to distribute power from one end of the train to the other.

So a five-car Class 800 train with three fully-charged battery packs could have over 2 MWh of electricity on board, that could be used for traction.

  • Applying the usage figure of 3.42 kWh per vehicle mile, gives a range for the five-car train of at least 117 miles.
  • The equivalent figure for a nine-car train will be at least 121 miles.

These distances would open up routes like these on the East Coast Main Line.

  • LNER – London King’s Cross and Aberdeen – 91.4 miles – Charge before return.
  • LNER/Hull Trains – London King’s Cross and Beverley via Temple Hirst junction – 44.3 miles – No Charging needed before return.
  • Grand Central – London King’s Cross and Bradford Interchange via Shaftholme junction – 47.8 miles – No Charging needed before return.
  • LNER – London King’s Cross and Cleethorpes via Newark and Lincoln – 63.9 miles – Charge before return.
  • LNER – London King’s Cross and Harrogate via Leeds – 18.3 miles – No Charging needed before return.
  • LNER – London King’s Cross and Inverness– 146.2 miles – Charge before return.
  • LNER/Hull Trains – London King’s Cross and Hull via Temple Hirst junction – 36.1 miles – No Charging needed before return.
  • LNER – London King’s Cross and Middlesbrough via Northallerton – 20.3 miles – No Charging needed before return.
  • LNER – London King’s Cross and Scarborough via York – 42.1 miles – No Charging needed before return.
  • LNER/Grand Central – London King’s Cross and Sunderland via Northallerton – 47.4 miles – No Charging needed before return.

Note.

  1. The miles are the longest continuous distance without electrification.
  2. Only Aberdeen, Cleethorpes and Inverness would need to charge trains before return.
  3. Inverness may be too far. But is it in range of LNER’s new CAF tri-mode trains?

The battery range  would also allow LNER to use the Lincoln diversion on the Joint Line.

Why Didn’t LNER Buy More Azumas?

This puzzles me and I suspect it puzzles other people too.

Surely, an all Azuma fleet will be easier to manage.

But in this article on Modern Railways, which is entitled LNER Orders CAF Tri-mode Sets, this is said.

Modern Railways understands the new fleet will be maintained at Neville Hill depot in Leeds and, like the ‘225’ sets, will be used predominantly on services between London and Yorkshire, although unlike the ‘225s’ the tri-modes, with their self-power capability, will be able to serve destinations away from the electrified network such as Harrogate and Hull.

Note.

  1. Hull would possibly need work to provide some form of charging for battery-electric Azumas, but Harrogate is close enough to be served by a one-battery Azuma.
  2. The CAF Tri-mode sets would certainly handle routes like Cleethorpes, Middlesbrough and Sunderland, but would they really need a ten-car train.
  3. Ten-car trains would also be busy on the Leeds route.
  4. The UK is going to need more 125 mph trains for Cross Country, Grand Central, Grand Union, TransPennine Express and possibly other train companies.
  5. Has Hitachi got the capacity to build the trains in the UK?

So has the Government given the order to CAF to create a level of competition?

Conclusions

These are my conclusions about Hitachi’s battery packs for Class 80x trains, which were written in November 2023.

  • The battery pack has a capacity of 750 kWh.
  • A five-car train needs three battery-packs to travel 100 miles.
  • A nine-car train needs five battery-packs to travel 100 miles.
  • The maximum range of a five-car train with three batteries is 117 miles.
  • The maximum range of a nine-car train with five batteries is 121 miles.

As battery technology gets better, these distances will increase.

Hitachi have seen my figures.

They also told me, that they were in line with their figures, but new and better batteries would increase range.

In July 2025, I wrote Batteries Ordered For Grand Central Inter-City Trains, which mentions the following.

  • Grand Central’s trains will be electric-diesel-battery hybrid inter-city trainsets.
  • The trains will have lithium ion phosphate batteries.
  • The trains will be delivered in 2028.
  • The batteries will be smaller and more powerful, than current batteries.

This is also said about safety, hazards and cybersecurity.

The Safety Integrity Level 2 and IEC 61508 compliant battery management system will detect and mitigate hazards and meet the IEC 62243 cybersecurity standard.

These batteries would appear to give Hitachi and Grand Central Trains everything they want and need.

It looks like the new battery chemistry, will give Hitachi extra range.

November 14, 2023 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

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