Energy transition on rail
Posted on September 19, 2018 by Christoph Ringwald, Images by mtu, Porterbrook, Irish Rail, Alstom
mtu signs a number of agreements for the purchase of mtu hybrid rail drives at the transport technology trade fair
mtu is showcasing its production-ready hybrid drive technology for railcars at Innotrans, the international trade fair for transport technology, in Berlin, as the sales have successfully demonstrated – the State-owned rail operator in Ireland, Irish Rail, the UK-based rolling stock leasing companys Porterbrook and Alpha Trains and the partners Abellio, Alstom and the Saxony-Anhalt regional transport service (Nahverkehrsservice Sachsen-Anhalt) all signed letters of intent at the trade fair for the purchase of mtu hybrid drive systems.
Accordingly, Irish Rail will purchase 9 mtu Hybrid PowerPacks, Porterbrook 4, the group consisting of Abellio, Alstom and Nahverkehrsservice Sachsen-Anhalt 6 in the very near future. Contracts to this effect are now being prepared. For the period following the completion of tests by the customers, the purchase of hybrid drives in the three-digit range in each case for retrofitting each of the fleets of passenger trains has already been included in the agreements.
“The mtu Hybrid PowerPack impressed me very much – it is a perfect example of innovative and environmentally-friendly high-tech from Germany. It provides rapid mobility combined with fewer emissions and a subsequent improvement in air quality. As a result of the local emission-free operation and the possibility of making up for delays, the drive solution makes rail travel significantly more attractive for passengers and local residents alike. In addition to that, this alternative drive system can make a major contribution to achieving our climate goals in local passenger rail transport. We should put this production-ready technology on rail in Germany as soon as possible and arouse the interest of new customers in rail travel,” says Andreas Scheuer, Federal Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure. Andreas Scheuer, as did his British counterpart Christopher Grayling, visited the mtu stand at Innotrans, where he had the benefits of the Hybrid PowerPacks on rail presented to him by Andreas Schell, CEO of Rolls-Royce Power Systems.
From engine manufacturer to integrated solutions provider
“We are delighted at the tremendous interest being shown in our product – not only because we see great commercial potential in partial electrification, but also because the technology is part of the process of transforming our company from being an engine manufacturer to becoming a provider of complete drive and energy solutions,“ said Andreas Schell in summary.
As part of its transformation process, mtu is now placing a strong emphasis on digitalised drive systems and an increase in electrification, and has also set up a new ”Digital Solutions“ department. mtu is not only focusing on the energy transition in its core business in drive systems, but is also focusing on ”smart grids“ – intelligent, distributed energy supply systems for the energy world of the future.
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