Technology roadmaps for locomotives of the future focus on two key areas according to GE Transportation’s Pete Lawson: fuel and emissions.
“The reason for that is, there is an increasing emissions regulatory environment where we sell locomotives and…where there isn’t a regulatory environment, anytime we can lower fuel is a good thing for better operations,” Lawson told Rail Express yesterday at AusRAIL PLUS.
About 75 per cent of the diesel electric market worldwide is operating under some kind of local emission regulation. America leads the way in terms of the toughest and most restrictive regulatoryenvironment for locomotives.
“The EPA doesn’t just look at meeting the levels for emissions when you ship your product new, it also requires the unit to be compliant for its useful life and…the EPA has the ability to grab a unit at any point in time…and test it to validate emissions are being maintained,” Lawson said.
Australia has no emission regulations for locomotives and nothing planned for the future. However, Lawson believes this is necessary as a responsible “citizen of the world”, especially since there is existing technology which allows locomotives to operate at significantly lower emissions levels.
The Railway Technical Society of Australasia’s executive chairman Martin Baggott told Rail Expresseven though locomotive emissions are not legislated in Australia eventually, “one way or the other this will come about”, either through direct regulation or implied through an ETS or a carbon charge.
But the Federal Government’s current ETS does not include transportation –something the industry has taken issue with – with implications for companies having to set their own emissions benchmarks.
Lawson’s final words to AusRAIL PLUS delegates were timely for industry players in Australia.
Effective emissions regulations in America has resulted in significant improvements for theenvironment, safety, operations and cost, he said.
“As a rail industry it’s critically important that we be an extremely active participant in the development of any emissions safety or regulation. At the end of the day the OEMs and operators are going to have to live with those regulations and implement them and having input and a voice in the development of those is critical,” he said.
“We must continue to invest and look forward in technology; it’s difficult to do in a downward cycle, but if you stop and take your eye off the future, the catch-up is nearly impossible.
“Cleaner and greener can be a very cost effective solution for operators and do not have to be mutually exclusive.”