Hydrogen-Powered Trains To Be Introduced In Northern Italy
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Fuel Cell Works.
These three paragraphs introduce the project.
Residents and visitors to Valcamonica, an Alpine region in northern Italy, will be able to ride hydrogen-powered trains from next year.
The pioneering project, the first of its kind in Italy and supported by an investment of 367 million euros ($396 million), marks a significant adoption of hydrogen fuel for a rail line, despite the high production and operational costs.
The region currently uses polluting diesel trains, which will be replaced by 14 zero-emission hydrogen-powered trains made in Italy by a unit of French group Alstom
The trains will run on the Brescia–Edolo railway, which has this Wikipedia entry.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the Northern part of the railway.
Note.
- Edolo station is indicated by the blue arrow at the top of the map.
- The Brescia–Edolo railway is indicated by the yellow line.
- Stations are indicated by blue lettering.
- Iseo is the station in the South-West corner of the map.
- Click the map to show it to a larger scale.
This second OpenRailwayMap shows the Southern part of the railway to the same scale.
Note.
- The Brescia–Edolo railway is indicated by the yellow line.
- The Venice-Milan railway is indiated by the orange line across the bottom of the map.
- Stations are indicated by blue lettering.
- Iseo station is in the South-West corner of the map.
- Brescia station is in the South-East corner of the map on the Venice-Milan railway.
- Click the map to show it to a larger scale.
It looks to me, that the Brescia–Edolo railway could be a day-out if you were having a holiday in Milan, Venice or Verona.
- The railway is a single track railway.
- It appears to go through the mountains.
- Currently, it is diesel powered, but I suspect running hydrogen trains on the route will turn it into a major tourist attraction.
Could other rail routes attract visitors, by going for zero-carbon traction using hydrogen?
In the UK, these are surely six of many possibilities.
- Settle and Carlisle
- Marshlink Line
- Mid-Cornwall Metro
- Norwich and Sheringham
- Sheffield and Huddersfield
- Mid-Cornwall Metro
- Uckfield Branch
Infrastructure costs would just need a hydrogen supply to be arranged.
Conclusion
You can always trust the Italians to use a stylish solution.
Swiss Federal Railways Targets London As It Seeks More Cross-Border High Speed Trains
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on the Railway Gazette.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Swiss Federal Railways is looking at ordering up to 40 high speed trainsets for use on international services to Italy and France, and ’potentially for other destinations such as Barcelona and London’.
There also three paragraphs, which talk about Switzerland and London services.
SBB has also examined the possibility of launching a direct service between Switzerland and London, concluding that this would be technically feasible but challenging.
The need to provide security and border controls at all the stations served has long been a barrier to new services through the Channel Tunnel. However, SBB believes this may be possible at Zürich HB, Basel SBB and Genève Cornavin.
SBB would like to offer such a service and is to further develop its plans, but implementation is not seen as possible until the 2030s at the earliest.
These are my thoughts.
The Channel Tunnel Is Being Opened Up For Other Operators
The Channel Tunnel is at last looking to put on other services.
Switzerland could be easy technically, but there is the security and border controls, as the article points out.
But I see sorting security and border controls as an opportunity, not a problem.
Surely, a workable solution would have export potential all round the world.
London And Geneva Is Only Six Hours On The Train
Six hours in comfort on a train, would not bother me!
Switzerland And London Are Both Suitable Destinations For Year-Round, Short-Break Trips
C and myself were always popping off for short breaks, as it suited our work patterns.
She would sometimes say, that a case had come out and we would nip off somewhere for a couple of days.
I think, that more people will work flexibly and will have more gaps, where two days in Geneva or Zurich would fit. Provided, they could just turn up and go.
I also have done several business and leisure trips to Switzerland.
Fast Direct Trains To Switzerland Would Make Italy More Accessible
I have taken trains to Italy and it is a long way.
But breaking the journey in Switzerland could make the journey easier and you could use one city going South and another going North.
When I stayed in Geneva to go to CERN, I got a free day ticket for the buses and trams thrown in, which was very useful.
Will The Swiss Offer A Rail Pass For All Their High Speed Trains?
I wonder, if the Swiss have this in mind, as they already offer passes that include all Swiss public transport including all the cable cars.
A Swiss High Speed Rail Pass might allow me to go London and Florence, Naples or Rome and return all on one ticket.
Americans wanting to get away from Trump could fly to Switzerland and then explore Europe in Swiss trains, with no worries.
Conclusion
The Swiss should take their fingers out and go for it!
FART Train On Show At InnoTrans
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette.
This is the first paragraph.
Stadler has unveiled a custom-designed electric multiple-unit for the narrow gauge Centovalli railway which runs for 52 km between Locarno in Switzerland and Domodossola in Italy.
This appears to be one of Stadler’s special trains for a very unique railway in the Southern Alps.
This Google Map shows the route between Domodossola and Locarno.
Note.
- The Centovalli Railway runs East-West and is shown in purple.
- Locarno is in the East and is marked by a blue arrow.
- Domodossola is in the West, where the Centovalli Railway meets the Domodossola–Milan railway, which is shown in black and runs North to Brig via the Simplon Tunnel.
In From Milan To Geneva, I must have taken a train through Domodossola, as this picture is in the post.
Domodossola station looks a lot grander in its Wikipedia entry.
Energy Dome Pens Contract For First US Project
The title of this post is the same as that as this article on Energy Storage News.
I like Energy Dome, as it makes one of the causes of global warming; carbon dioxide help with the storage of energy, which many argue is part of the solution of the problem.
This press release gives more details.
- The project is a 20MW/200MWh Battery.
- The battery will be located in Wisconsin.
- In parallel, the construction of Energy Dome’s first-of-a-kind standard CO2 Battery plant in Sardinia, Italy, is also proceeding at full speed.
As Energy Dome is an Italian company, the solution is also more about finesse than brute force.
Liberty Lines Commissions First High-Speed Ferry With mtu Hybrid System From Rolls-Royce
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Rolls-Royce.
These two bullet points act as sub-headings.
- “Vittorio Morace” the world’s first hybrid high-speed ferry to IMO HSC standard with a length of almost 40 metres is fast at sea and emission-free in harbour
- A further 8 Liberty Lines ferries with mtu hybrid systems will enter into service in Italy, Slovenia and Croatia
This picture shows the first of the fleet.
This is the first paragraph.
On 27 June 2024, the Italian shipping company Liberty Lines ceremonially launched the world’s first hybrid fast ferry of this category and size in Trapani, Sicily, powered by an mtu hybrid propulsion system from Rolls-Royce. The 39.5 meter long ship has a capacity of 251 passengers, reaches a speed of over 30 knots and will significantly reduce the impact of ship operations on the environment. The “Vittorio Morace”, built by the Spanish shipyard Astilleros Armon and designed by Incat Crowther, is the world’s first IMO HSC (High-Speed Craft) hybrid fast ferry of this size and has been classified as a “Green Plus” ship by the Italian classification society RINA.
This ferry can truly be considered to be a Ship-of-the-World, with a design from an Australian-headquartered International company and German engines, that has been built in Spain.
This paragraph describes the power-train.
The battery-electric part of the drive is used for locally emission-free driving in the harbour area and as a booster. CO2 emissions are reduced by the particularly efficient mtu Series 4000 diesel engines which can also run on the renewable diesel (HVO, hydrotreated vegetable oil). Its use can lower the CO2 footprint by up to 90 per cent. Furthermore, the comparatively low overall weight of both the engines and the hybrid drive system contributes to high vessel propulsion efficiency, thereby reducing fuel consumption and emissions.
Over the last thirty years, I’ve been to several of the places served by Liberty Lines, so some excellent journeys, will be made faster, quieter and better.
SolarDuck, Green Arrow Capital And New Developments S.R.L. Sign Collaboration Agreement For A Grid-Scale Offshore Hybrid Wind-Solar Project In Italy
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from SolarDuck.
These three bullet points, act as sub-headings.
- 540 MW hybrid offshore wind-solar farm offshore Corigliano, Calabria
- Milestone project to accelerate scaling of Offshore Floating Solar Photovoltaic (OFPV)
- Strategic collaboration proves the potential of the technology in Italy and the wider
Mediterranean region
These three paragraphs outline the project.
SolarDuck, leader in OFPV technology, Green Arrow Capital, leading Italian Independent Asset
Manager in the alternative investment world, and New Developments s.r.l., one of Italy’s
most experienced developers, have agreed to collaborate on the development of a landmark
120MWp OFPV farm integrated with 420MW Floating Offshore Wind (FOW).The project will install SolarDuck’s unique elevated platform technology that allows PV panels
to be deployed in significant wave heights whilst maintaining a safe working environment for
access and maintenance and minimizing environmental impact. In addition, the collaboration
will also allow the harnessing of the complementarity of wind and solar energy resources.“With the current momentum, we believe this is a unique opportunity for the offshore
renewable energy industry to help shape a favorable regulatory framework and facilitate the
scaling of OFPV. This is not just important for Italy, but also for other countries in the
Mediterranean. Our collaboration with New Developments and Green Arrow Capital can also
serve as a catalyst for OFPV in Italy”, says SolarDuck CEO, Koen Burgers.
This Google Map shows the location of Corigliano at the foot of Italy.
Note.
- Corigliano is indicated by the red arrow.
- There is an explanatory video of their technology on SolarDuck’s web site.
Opposite Corigliano on the other side of the can be seen the Italian Naval Base of Taranto, which was the scene of the Battle of Taranto, which was one of the most significant naval battles of Second World War, if not the most significant.
- This web page has the Fleet Air Arm’s account of the battle.
- I have a book, that shows the Japanese visiting Taranto after the battle.
- Did the Japanese use what they learned to plan their successful raid on Pearl Harbor?
- Without Pearl Harbor, would the Americans have stayed out of the Second World War?
I visited Taranto in the 1980s and stood on the Dockside. Perhaps, it is time to go again?
Conclusion
I have a feeling that a hybrid offshore wind-solar farm can generate more electricity in a given area, by making better use of the space available.
It will be interesting to see how this hybrid wind farm performs.
In an area with plenty of sun and wind, it could be a better solution.
Only the mathematics will tell.
Binge Drinking And Obesity Behind Bowel Cancer Surge In Under-50s
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article in The Times.
This is the sub-heading.
Deaths this year are set to be a third higher than in 2018 with biggest increase among young women
These three paragraphs introduce the article.
Obesity and binge drinking are causing a surge in bowel cancer among young British adults, research shows.
Deaths in those aged under 50 are set to be about a third higher this year than in 2018, with the highest increase in young women.
Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK, after breast and prostate cancers, and there are 43,000 new cases and 16,000 deaths a year. More than nine in ten cases are in those over 50, but the disease is increasingly being diagnosed in those under 50, in whom it is more likely to be aggressive and deadly.
I am coeliac and whenever, I see some illness that is more common in females, I wonder, if this is down to the fact, that female coeliacs are more common than males. This page on the NHS web site flags it up with this sentence.
Reported cases of coeliac disease are higher in women than men.
This could be because coeliac disease can cause complications in pregnancy, so more women get tested.
The NHS web site also links coeliacs with bowel cancer, but it does say this.
Once you’ve been following a gluten-free diet for some time, your risk of developing these types of cancer is the same as that of the general population.
My son was an undiagnosed coeliac, who worked in the music business. He lived on a diet of ciggies, cannabis and Subways and contracted pancreatic cancer, which killed him at just 37.
He should have got himself tested, as the NHS says, that if you have a first degree relative (Me!), who has coeliac disease, then you should get tested.
So if you think, you have a problem with gluten, get yourself tested!
If not for yourself for your family!
I am surprised that the Italian lead researcher doesn’t mention coeliac disease as Italy has lots of it! All that pasta and pizza!
Slow Tourism Train Operator Launches First Service
Tyhe title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette.
These are the first two paragraphs.
FS Group’s recently formed tourist train business FS Treni Turistici Italiani has launched its first service.
Branded Espresso Cadore, the overnight service between Roma Termini and Calalzo-Pieve di Cadore-Cortina will run every Friday night until mid-February. On arrival, a connecting bus takes passengers to Cortina d’Ampezzo in 45 min. The return train departs on Sundays, arriving at Roma Termini on Monday morning.
It is surely an interesting concept and I believe it could work on several routes in the UK.
- Settle and Carlisle would be an obvious route.
- Cumbrian Coast Line.
- Bristol and Oxford, which I wrote about in Leisure Market Boom? GWR’s Vision For Direct Bristol-Oxford Services.
There must also be a couple of routes in Scotland and Wales.
As the three routes, I named are electrified at both ends, there is a possibility that they could be run by quiet battery-electric trains.
Businesses Back Hydrogen Trials To Accelerate Net Zero Ambitions
The title of this post, is the same as that of this news item on Centrica.
These are the three main findings of a business survey, to ascertain attitudes to hydrogen.
- Three quarters (77%) of businesses back hydrogen as part of their energy improvement strategy with a quarter (27%) intending to trial or implement it in the next two years.
- Almost one in ten (8%) respondents say they have already installed hydrogen-ready combined heat and power (CHP) units.
- A third (33%) of firms say energy costs are motivating them to adopt hydrogen.
This paragraph details who were surveyed.
We surveyed 500 executives in December 2022 and January 2023 across food and beverage manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality and travel, pharmaceutical manufacturing, heavy industry, horticulture and light industry. 24% of respondents were from the UK, 16% Ireland, 20% Netherlands, 20% Italy, 20% Hungary.
It certainly looks to be a well-constructed survey, with a wide range of respondents.
I have some thoughts.
Centrica And Combined Heat And Power
I was initially surprised that eight percent of respondents had already installed hydrogen-ready combined heat and power units.
But according to Centrica Announces Hydrogen Ready Combined Heat And Power Partnership With 2G, Centrica are preparing themselves for selling systems in this area.
Businesses Are Certainly Looking At Hydrogen
A figure of 77 % of businesses are looking at hydrogen and 27 % are investing in hydrogen.
But I don’t think the average man on the Clapham Omnibus would be so enthusiastic.
Costs Are Motivating Firms To Adopt Hydrogen
I would be surprised if costs didn’t have an effect.
But if costs are driving them towards hydrogen, then hydrogen must be more affordable.
Which is one in eye for hydrogen deniers, who always tell me it is more expensive.
Are Centrica Working To Drop Their Costs?
These posts would suggest they are.
- Centrica And Ryze Agree To Develop Hydrogen Pathway
- Centrica Announces Hydrogen Ready Combined Heat And Power Partnership With 2G
- Centrica Partners With Hull-Based HiiRoc For Hydrogen Fuel Switch Trial At Humber Power Plant
- Centrica Plan Green Energy Hub At Former Gas Power Plant
- Centrica Re-Opens Rough Storage Facility
- Lhyfe And Centrica To Develop Offshore Renewable Green Hydrogen In The UK
They are doing deals with start-ups and repurposing old plants and pipelines.
Conclusion
Centrica seem to be leading the charge to hydrogen in the UK.
The Anonymous Widower 