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the vehicle consists of a converted old Fiat train whose diesel engines have been replaced by two Volvo gas engines.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.
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