 |
| Fortescue Railway [Image credits - www.fmgl.com.au] |
Australian mining firm, Fortescue, has acquired UK-based Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE) as part of its green-energy subsidiary called "Fortescue Future Industries", which aims to develop clean technologies to reduce its operations’ carbon emissions by 2030.
Post this acquisition, WAE and Fortescue together announced that they will jointly develop the world first, zero emission "Infinity Train" that charges itself using the Earth's gravitational force. The companies believe that "Infinity Train" will be the world’s most efficient battery electric locomotive.
We’re developing a train that recharges itself using gravitational energy. No joke. 😮
— Williams Advanced Engineering (@WilliamsAdvEng) March 1, 2022
In a world-first, the Infinity Train will use downhill sections of @FortescueNews’ rail network to recharge its battery electric systems.
Find out more: https://t.co/OgzKvmLKyF pic.twitter.com/ICRFZORlxY
The Infinity Train will have regenerating battery electric iron ore that will use gravitational energy to recharge its battery electric systems without any additional charging requirements for the return trip to reload. This also makes "Infinity Train" a capital efficient solution for eliminating diesel and emissions from rail operation.
The cost of developing the Infinity Train is expected to be US$50 million over the next two years and will be classified as operating cost efficiencies. The cost can be refined over the time of the development of the Infinity Train.
While full-details and specs are insufficient at this point, its been speculated that the upcoming zero-emission train will be utilize for one or more of Fortescue's mining sites.
Being 4th-largest iron ore producer in the world, Fortescue has mining operation located within the Pilbara region of Western Australia, England and Israel.
Fortescue’s rail operations consumed 82 million litres of diesel in financial year 2021 accounting for 11 per cent of Fortescue’s Scope 1 emissions. This diesel consumption and associated emissions will be eliminated once the Infinity Train is fully implemented across Fortescue’s operations, significantly contributing to Fortescue’s target to be diesel free by 2030.
Last year, Fortescue Future Industries announced a plan to build a hydrogen-manufacturing facility in Queensland, Australia. The first stage, due for completion in 2022, is expected to double the world's green hydrogen capacity. When the plant is completed, it is expected to be the largest of its type in the world. In 2020, the subsidiary also started 60 MW solar farm at its Chichester Hub, England, in 2020.
Besides Fortescue, an another mining firm, BHP, had also announced in last year that it is considering selling its petroleum business in order to cut ties with the oil and gas sector and reduce its carbon footprint.
Advertisements