Do you think it\’s impossible that the sun could generate enough energy to move a train? Well, it\’s already a reality, they built one train that moves thanks to solar energyunique and exclusive.
What seemed like a utopia has already become a reality in Australia, more precisely in the city of Byron Bay.
The train is one of the means of transportation that has made the most changes in terms of fuel: steam locomotives, coal, electric trains and now trains that run on solar energy.
Despite the fact that electric trains were the least polluting so far, in Byron Bay They went a step further and They built a train with solar panels which moves due to solar energy and nothing else. An eco train that moves thanks to this renewable energy.
A 1949 train with solar panels, the most \»renewable and refurbished\» on the market
What they did to build this train was to convert a 1949 train into the most ecological train in the world that moves with solar energy. They have covered their entire roof with solar panels that will convert solar energy into electricity and thus move the train.
Although the roof of the train is fully covered with solar panels 6.5 kW are not activated to fully charge the on-board battery, as it is 77 kWh. So the new solar power train will need to be recharged at stations with 30kW solar panels.
Another new system in terms of energy is its optimization. The train recharges with energy every time it brakes, sends 25% of the power back to the battery.
The solar train: a 3 kilometer route powered by solar energy
For now the train runs a \»modest\» distance of around 3 kilometers between Byron Bay and the Elements of Byron Bay resort. It is intended for tourists and the curious who want to travel on a vintage train but with cutting-edge technology.
The solar powered train ONLY puts 4kWh into each Byron Bay trip, so with a fully charged battery it can make between 12 and 15 trips.
Brian Flannery, father of the solar-powered train
Restoring the Byron Bay rail line had been on Brian Flannery\’s mind for ten years. At first, he just wanted to restore the abandoned train and tracks, but he realized that what this world needs is to be environmentally friendly. So he incorporated solar power into his design into what it is: the world\’s first solar-powered train. The first to move exclusively with solar energy.
The 3 kilometers covered by Brian Flannery\’s train may not seem like much, but it is the beginning of a long journey towards renewable energy in transport and, more specifically, towards the solar-powered train.
What if the solar panels break during a trip?
Although the train only moves on solar power, it has an emergency engine that can run on diesel. So it is covered in case of failure of the solar panels; you could always reach your destination.
At Powen we are excited about this initiative and encourage other entrepreneurs or inventors to apply solar energy in their projects. We hope that one day solar power will move the world. ☺
