Tag: ecological

Talgo Announces Hydrogen Train Will Be Ready In 2023

December 31, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Talgo has announced the timetable for the manufacture and launch of its hydrogen train, a green, innovative and efficient alternative to replacing diesel engines, which will be ready in 2023. The train will be named Talgo Vittal-One, as a reference to the place of the hydrogen in the periodic table, the first one. The details were presented during the event “Renewable hydrogen: an opportunity for Spain”, organised by the Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic challenge.

The first phase of the validation tests of the hydrogen technology will be conducted in 2021. After the validation process, the hydrogen technology will be installed in the new train during a second manufacturing phase that will take place between 2021 and 2023.

The company’s CEO, José María Oriol, stated during his presentation: “Green hydrogen is no longer the future, it is a reality. The implementation of hydrogen trains, such as the one Talgo is developing, will improve mobility in our country and have a positive impact on the environment. It will allow us to make the most of the non-electrified Spanish railways while reducing our carbon footprint”.

This system is configured as a modular solution that can be installed on all types of trains, as well as in upgrades from diesel to hydrogen. However, it has been specifically designed for the Vittal platform for Commuter and Regional trains, which Talgo has presented in the bidding process for various tenders in Spain and other countries.

Germans Protest Against Tesla Gigafactory

January 19, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

BERLIN (Reuters) – Around 250 Germans on Saturday protested in the outskirts of Berlin where electric car startup Tesla is planning to build a gigafactory, saying its construction will endanger water supply and wildlife in the area.

The U.S. carmaker announced plans last November to build its first European car factory in Gruenheide, in the eastern state of Brandenburg.

Politicians, unions and industry groups have welcomed the move, saying it will bring jobs to the region, but environmental concerns drove hundreds of locals to the streets on Saturday.

“We are here, we are loud, because Tesla is stealing our water,” protesters called.

Saturday’s protest came after a Brandenburg water association on Thursday warned against “extensive and serious problems with the drinking water supply and wastewater disposal” for the proposed factory.

Anne Bach, a 27-year-old environmental activist, said Tesla’s plans published earlier this month showed it would need more than 300 cubic meters of water per hour which would drain the area’s declining reserves.

“I am not against Tesla … But it’s about the site; in a forest area that is a protected wildlife zone. Is this necessary?” Bach said.

“In such an ecological system like the one here and with the background that climate is changing, I cannot understand why another location was not selected from the beginning,” said Frank Gersdorf, a member of “Citizens’ Initiative Gruenheide against Gigafactory”, a local group that organised Saturday’s protest.

Environmentalist protests in Germany have previously halted and delayed major companies’ plans such RWE’s lignite mining at the Hambach forest, near Cologne, which has become a symbol of the anti-coal protests.

Saturday’s protest, which Gersdorf and Bach said developed spontaneously from a 50-people forest walk demonstration, highlighted the deforestation of around 300 hectares to build the factory and its impact on wildlife, including birds, insects and bats.

People were also protesting against an expected “enormous” increase in traffic on a nearby highway and through the villages.

Next to the protest, on the other side of the street, around 20 people carried banners welcoming Tesla in their village, with children chanting, “We are here, we are loud, because Tesla is building our future.”

Bernd Kutz, a Gruenheide local, said Tesla would bring improvement to the area, create jobs and give chances to young people.

“I am here because I don’t understand those demonstrators who shout and show us the finger,” Kutz said. “Why has it always to be negative?”

(Reporting by Riham Alkousaa; editing by Christina Fincher)

‘You’re stealing our water’: Germans protest against Tesla gigafactory
Demonstrators hold anti-Tesla posters during a protest against plans by U.S. electric vehicle pioneer Tesla to build its first European factory and design center near Berlin

Boeing, SunExpress Sign Order for 10 Additional 737 MAX Airplanes

November 18, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Leading leisure carrier exercises options for 10 MAX 8 jets for fleet renewal and growth
SunExpress CEO: “Have full confidence Boeing will deliver us a safe, reliable and efficient aircraft.”

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — SunExpress is exercising options for 10 additional Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplanes to continue renewing its fleet and growing its position in the leisure travel industry, the airline and Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced today at the Dubai Airshow.

The purchase, valued at $1.2 billion according to list prices, adds to a previous SunExpress order for 32 MAX airplanes.

“We have a long standing, strong and trustful relationship with Boeing and thus we decided to turn our option into an order. We stand behind our strategic decision to phase the 737 MAX into our fleet for all of its economic and ecological advantages, mid- and long-term,” says Jens Bischof, CEO of SunExpress. “We have full confidence that Boeing will deliver us a safe, reliable, and efficient aircraft. However, it goes without saying that this requires the undisputed airworthiness of the model, granted by all relevant authorities. Our utmost priority at SunExpress is and has always been safety.”

The airline, which specializes in offering direct connections between Europe, Turkey and popular holiday destinations, has achieved significant growth in recent years as it steadily expanded its fleet of mainly Boeing 737 airplanes. Last year, SunExpress’ passenger count climbed to nearly 10 million across roughly 100 destinations.

“We are honored and humbled by the trust that SunExpress has placed in our team at Boeing. They have been a wonderful partner over the years, demonstrating every day the efficiency and reliability of the Boeing 737 across their growing network,” said Stan Deal, president & CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “We regret the impact the MAX grounding has had on SunExpress and their passengers. The Boeing team is working hard to safely return the airplane to service and providing the capacity for SunExpress to continue serving as the backbone of air travel in the Turkish tourism industry.”

The 737 MAX 8 is part of a family of airplanes that offer 130 to 230 seats and the ability to fly up to 3,850 nautical miles (7,130 kilometers). With improvements such as the CFM International LEAP-1B engine and Advanced Technology winglets, the 737 MAX provides operators a 14% improvement over today’s most efficient single-aisle airplanes and extended range to open up new destinations.

Alstom to Supply 39 Additional Coradia Polyvalent Trains to the Grand Est Region

October 23, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

contract worth over 360 million euros in France

22 October 2019 – Alstom will supply 39 additional Coradia Polyvalent trains to the Grand Est region for the sum of approximately 360 million euros[1]. The region had already ordered 40 Coradia Polyvalent trains, of which 36 have already been delivered. Deliveries of these new trains will be staggered between 2022 and 2024.

Firstly, this new order covers 30 trains intended for cross-border circulation in Germany. These 4-car trains, which are dual mode – dual voltage 25 kV / 15 kV and comply with German safety requirements, will run at 160 km/h, serving the German states of Saarland, Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg. The 30 Coradia Polyvalent cross-border trains will offer a first-class zone and an area for bicycles, and will incorporate the new TSI PRM[2] 2014 standard, notably offering more spacious toilets to facilitate movement for passengers with reduced mobility. The first cross-border trains will be delivered at the end of 2023.

Secondly, nine additional Coradia Polyvalent trains, consisting of five 4-car and four 6-car trains, have been added to the existing fleet for domestic connections. These new trains will benefit from the same special features as those already in operation in the Grand Est region.

“Alstom is proud of this new sign of trust from the Grand Est region. The expertise and innovation capacities of our French teams are mobilised to support the region in developing cross-border mobility. This order also contributes to the activity of Alstom’s Reichshoffen site,” says Jean-Baptiste Eyméoud, President of Alstom in France.

Coradia Polyvalent belongs to Alstom’s Coradia range of trains. With its modular architecture, it can be adapted to the requirements of each public transport authority as well as to different types of use: suburban, regional and intercity. It comes in three lengths (56, 72 or 110 metres) and offers optimal comfort to passengers, whatever the length of the journey. The train is both ecological and economical due to its low energy consumption, its compliance with the latest emissions standards in thermal mode and its reduced maintenance costs. Coradia Polyvalent is the first French regional train to comply with all European standards, in particular with regard to access for people with reduced mobility.

To date, 387 Coradia Polyvalent trains have been ordered as part of the contract awarded to Alstom by SNCF in October 2009, including 320 Coradia Polyvalent for Régiolis by 9 French regions and 67 Coradia Liner by the French state, the authority responsible for the country’s TET (intercity) trains. Régiolis has already covered nearly 85 million kilometres in commercial service.

The Coradia Polyvalent train also meets the needs of the export market: 17 trains have been ordered by SNTF (Algeria) and 15 trains by APIX (Senegal).

This is Coradia Polyvalent’s second cross-border application as the region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes has ordered 17 Léman Express Coradia Polyvalent trains, to be commissioned on the CEVA cross-border line between France and Switzerland in mid-December 2019.

The manufacturing of Coradia Polyvalent secures more than 4,000 jobs in France for Alstom and its suppliers. Six of Alstom’s 12 sites in France are involved in the project: Reichshoffen for the design and assembly, Ornans for the engines, Le Creusot for the bogies, Tarbes for the traction chains, Villeurbanne for the on-board electronics and signalling products, and Saint-Ouen for the design.

[1] Booked in the second quarter of the current fiscal year

[2] Technical Specifications for Interoperability relating to Persons with Reduced Mobility

Talgo Announces Hydrogen Train Will Be Ready In 2023

Germans Protest Against Tesla Gigafactory

Boeing, SunExpress Sign Order for 10 Additional 737 MAX Airplanes

Alstom to Supply 39 Additional Coradia Polyvalent Trains to the Grand Est Region

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