Popovich, N.D., Rajagopal, D., Tasar, E. et al. Economic, environmental and grid-resilience benefits of converting diesel trains to battery-electric. Nat Energy 6, 1017–1025 (2021)

Objective:

• Examine the case for zero-emission, battery-electric propulsion in the US freight rail sector on the basis of current and forecasted energy storage technologies combined with access to renewable energy at industrial rates

Case:

• California

Methodology:

• Simulation

Data Source

• Data

Findings:

• Energy consumed by battery freight trains increases by 5%
• Battery price and access wholesale electricity tariffs - retrofitting diesel-electric locomotives with battery-electric techonology could save the US freight rail sector billions of dollars while yielding environmental, health, and grid-resilience benefits

• The average emission intensity is projected to decrease to 90% by 2035.

• Emission saving

Coding Reference:

• Not applicable