An Australian mining company has announced that it has started the development of the world’s first “Infinity Train”, which will use electricity and gravity energy in a way that will never run out, after purchasing an advanced engineering firm.
This move, which defines a train with seemingly infinite energy, pushes forward zero emissions targets, a difficult task for a company that transports large quantities of iron ore. Fortescue and newly acquired Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE) say the train will run on battery on its way to its destination and will travel enough downhill to recharge the battery for the return journey.
This idea uses gravitational energy to charge the battery as it is loaded with 34,404 tons of overweight iron ore on 244 ore wagons so that when it’s discharged and becomes significantly lighter, it can easily return to its source without manual recharging.
Elizabeth Gaines, Fortescue Chief Executive Officer, said: “The Infinity Train has the capacity to be the world’s most efficient battery-electric locomotive. Renewing electricity on downhill sections will eliminate the need to install renewable energy generation and recharging infrastructure, which will make it “This will make it a capital-efficient solution to eliminate diesel and emissions from our rail operations.”
Fortescue, Australia’s fourth largest iron ore company, spent 82 million liters of diesel fuel in the past financial year and believes the new technology can begin to reduce its emissions.
Gravity as an energy source or energy storage in gravity cells is not a new concept – although it has not yet seen widespread application… Most modern cars now have regenerative braking; This system recharges the battery using the friction of slowing the car while braking. The same system can be used on the Infinity Train.
Fortescue’s Founder and President, Dr. Andrew Forrest said in a statement, “The Infinity Train continues the FFI’s relentless march to change the world’s attitude towards power generation. Business leaders and politicians around the world have warned that fossil fuel is only one source of energy and is now rapidly emerging, more efficient, more efficient, like gravitational energy. “We want to move on to the fact that there are others that are less costly and green. The world must break from the era of highly polluting and deadly fossil fuels.”
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