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Collaboration With Parallel Methods Quantifies Advantages of Autonomous, Battery-Electrical Rail Autos
For greater than a century, American freight trains—chargeable for transferring a fifth of the nation’s cargo—have run practically solely on carbon-based fuels. However that would change within the coming decade, as railways eye formidable federal clean-energy targets that decision for funding in electrical locomotives and infrastructure supporting zero-emission freight motion.
Already, a collaboration between the Nationwide Renewable Power Laboratory (NREL) and Parallel Methods, a Los Angeles-based autonomous electrical rail automotive startup, is poised to place freight decarbonization on the quick monitor.
Propelling Progress
Parallel Methods’ groundbreaking battery-electric rail vehicles signify a possible transformation for the rail trade.
Very like the self-driving electrical vehicles already on the roads, Parallel’s rail vehicles use battery-electric motors, cameras, notion sensors, and superior braking methods to information themselves alongside typical railways—no onboard engineer or conductor wanted. However in contrast to typical freight trains, that are propelled practically solely by diesel engines, Parallel Methods’ autos mix electrical powertrains with a expertise known as “platooning.” Every self-propelled, battery-electric rail automotive pushes the one in entrance of it, decreasing aerodynamic drag and decreasing the quantity of vitality wanted to energy the platoon.
This explainer video demonstrates Parallel Methods’ autonomous, battery-electric rail automotive expertise. Textual content model
And reasonably than being linked by heavy metallic couplers, like conventional freight trains, Parallel’s autonomous rail vehicles are able to seamlessly grouping and separating themselves whereas touring. That permits them to maintain prepare crossings clear by mechanically separating to let autos cross their paths. By combining the excessive freight effectivity of rail with the flexibleness and pace usually related to vans, the expertise is designed to allow sooner, cheaper, and lower-emissions motion of products.
Parallel’s rail vehicles are at present being field-tested to show monitor worthiness at greater speeds and decreased braking distances in comparison with typical trains. However earlier than deployment, these rail vehicles—and corresponding logistics infrastructure—would require highly effective software program to run autonomous automobile controls, dispatch vehicles, handle fleets, and deal with terminal operations. And earlier than constructing out expensive bodily infrastructure, Parallel can glean vital insights towards optimization of auto and community controls, infrastructure placement, and rail yard operations to reduce each working prices and carbon emissions.
That’s the place NREL’s business automobile experience comes into play. With funding from the Superior Analysis Initiatives Company–Power (ARPA-E) and assist from the College of Texas at Austin, NREL researchers are making use of the laboratory’s newly launched Superior Locomotive Expertise and Rail Infrastructure Optimization System (ALTRIOS) software program to assist optimize Parallel’s operations. ALTRIOS, the world’s first complete and open-source software program to optimize rail decarbonization, will quantify how Parallel Methods autos scale back vitality consumption and greenhouse fuel emissions relative to current locomotives.
“If we wish to quickly decarbonize the transportation sector, we ought to be transferring extra freight on rail,” mentioned NREL’s Jason Lustbader, who leads NREL’s superior autos and charging infrastructure analysis and serves as principal investigator for the venture. “However there are a variety of boundaries we have to tackle to decarbonize rail freight motion, from logistics and scheduling to constructing infrastructure.”
Mixed, these two first-in-the-world merchandise—NREL’s rail optimization software program and Parallel’s battery-electric rail autos—will assist shift a portion of the freight at present carried by on-road vans to rail as an alternative, catalyzing decarbonization throughout the entire transportation sector.
From Vans to Trains
However why shift cargo from vans to rail? As a result of transferring freight on battery-electric rail autos can use 75% much less vitality per mile than transferring it on a semitruck. It additionally frees up highways for simpler passenger automotive journey, decreasing visitors congestion. Collectively, these efficiencies can create huge gasoline financial savings, serving to to considerably scale back transportation-related greenhouse fuel emissions.
“That’s why Parallel Methods’ prototype is such an thrilling, disruptive idea,” Lustbader mentioned. “It’s additionally why we designed ALTRIOS: to assist overcome the challenges of cost-effectively and rapidly transitioning to greener rail operations.”
Importantly, famous Matt Soule, co-founder and chief govt officer of Parallel Methods, diverting freight from on-road vans to rail autos represents a possibility to speed up wider transportation decarbonization.
“The rail trade presents one of the crucial promising avenues for decarbonizing the complete transportation sector,” Soule mentioned. “Our purpose at Parallel is to provide railroads the instruments they should convert a few of the $940 billion U.S. trucking trade to rail.
“The partnership we’ve shaped with NREL helps Parallel Methods’ expertise to develop into extra versatile, responsive, and optimized—all advantages that can assist railroads to compete extra straight with the extra energy-intensive modes,” he added.
In pursuit of a clear vitality future for all, NREL researchers are bringing cutting-edge information science, superior analytics, and technological breakthroughs to bear on the freight decarbonization area. Along with management from trade companions, the way forward for freight—and transportation—is trying greener on a regular basis.
Study extra about NREL’s sustainable transportation and mobility analysis and its particular concentrate on business automobile decarbonization. And join NREL’s quarterly transportation and mobility analysis e-newsletter, Sustainable Mobility Issues, to remain present on the newest information.
Courtesy of NREL. By Anna Squires
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