|
|
|
|
|
|
by ehnto
2118 days ago
|
|
|
Electrified rail also gives the promise of eventually being low emissions when we switch to greener power plant. So it benefits from scale economics twice right now, and will seamlessly switch to entirely green when the power plants do. |
|
|
In Germany, Deutsche Bahn boasts that its electric long-distance trains are 100% powered by renewable energy. There are some asterisks to that, but it's still a great thing.
So yes, electrifying lines really has many advantages: * it allows for high-speed trains * it enables trains equipped with regenerative braking * its trains are driving more efficiently (most diesel locomotives actually are diesel-electric, meaning they have a diesel generator powering an electric drivetrain) * it allows the trains to be powered by renewable energy
All these points drive the overall carbon footprint down in one way or another.