Posted on 10/24/2005 10:21:06 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
STOCKHOLM (AFP) - The world's first train to run on biogas, a renewable energy source made up of organic waste, made its maiden voyage in Sweden, a country that has high hopes for biofuels.
"The train left on time, at 2:32 pm (1242 GMT) and everything is going well," said Peter Unden, head of marketing at Svensk Biogas, the company that owns the train.
The train which links the city of Linkoeping, just south of Stockholm, to the east coast town of Vaestervik some 80 kilometers (50 miles) away, is scheduled to make one trip a day to begin with, "but our ambition is that it will eventually make two or more," Unden told AFP by telephone from the moving train.
Consisting of a single carriage that seats about 60 passengers, the vehicle consists of a converted old Fiat train whose diesel engines have been replaced by two Volvo gas engines.
Replacing the engine has made the train more environmentally friendly, since the combustion of biogas, like other biofuels, helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Svensk Biogas chief Carl Lilliehoeoek told AFP last June when the train was inaugurated.
The engine "does not run on regular fuel, but on renewable energy ... This is a very good way of providing a sustainable transport system," Unden said on Monday.
Another advantage is that biogas, unlike oil, does not create a dependence on imports from other countries.
"Communities can build their own production and this helps create jobs," he said.
Biogas is made up of shredded plant materials and animal waste, which are then mixed with water in a tank. Once the waste has decomposed, a gas is formed that can be stored and used as fuel.
Another plus with running on biogas is that the engines make less noise than most other trains, Unden insisted.
The train is equipped with 11 canisters containing enough gas to run for 600 kilometers (375 miles) before needing a refill, and can reach a maximum speed of 130 kilometers (80 miles) per hour.
As the train chugged out of the Linkoeping station on Monday, Unden said he was thrilled at the "opportunity to show that this is something that works", adding that several other countries have voiced interest in the project, including India.
Passengers smile from the first train in the world running solely on biogas during a test trip 20 June. The train is fitted with two biogas bus engines started and rolled on for a few meters (yards) on the tracks at Linkoping station in south-central Sweden(AFP/Pressensbild/File/Jeppe Gustafsson)
Sweden produces a lot of forest products, so that may be the source for the plant materials mentioned.
Civilized and smart folks, my ancestors.
I hope things like this work. Taken as a whole, efforts for alternative fuels strike me as positive.
Much of it is kooky, but some will prove useful.
At least they aren't plugging their cars' batteries into the electric grid overnight, and claiming energy savings.
If they can get it ro run on Pilsner, I'd be even more impressed. ;-)
Are there heads out the window because it smells so bad?
I was gonna caption that pic too.
Ok,, who cut the cheese?
Input taps in each seat. You pay your fare at your destination based upon how much bio gas you have contributed.
So democrats could actually make money.
>>
Civilized and smart folks, my ancestors.
<<
Being rapidly overrun by muslims.
This is the train from Pooterville.
If they can get it to work on previously consumed pilsner, I'll be even more impressed.
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