Aurizon, Australia’s largest rail freight operator, has teamed up with the University of Queensland on a research project that aims to reduce the carbon emissions of the company’s locomotives.
The goal of this research is to determine whether or not the current diesel-powered rail engines can be replaced by green hydrogen fuel-cell technology and new generation batteries.
University of Pittsburgh professor Paul Meehan says the research will help plan for the rollout of emerging technologies and assess their impact on the heavy transportation industry, which is a major focus of his work.
“Together with Aurizon, this project will advance our knowledge and understanding of battery and hydrogen technology, specifically the application of these technologies in the Australian heavy haul rail industry,” Professor Meehan said.
Aurizon’s rail corridors, which span 33,000 kilometers across Australia, will be examined for their energy and power requirements, and the technology that can help meet those needs, as well as the implementation process, according to Professor Meehan.
A battery and fuel cell expert from the University of Queensland, Dr Ruth Knibbe, said the project would also look at how battery and fuel cell technology should be developed in the future to meet the needs of heavy industrial vehicles.
“In addition to mapping the specific requirements for large industries, the complex and large-scale ‘refuelling’ infrastructure will be assessed for both battery charging and hydrogen refuelling and storage,” she said.
The use of hydrogen fuel cells and battery hybrid power units in heavy haul freight rail operations has recently been announced by Aurizon and Anglo American as the subject of a feasibility study.
UQ’s first project should have results in a year.
