'Green' trains in Europe

The first solar tunnel in Europe was officially opened in Belgium, with the goal of providing clean energy for trains connecting the continent.

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Earlier this week, high-speed rail crossings connecting Paris and Amsterdam became Europe's first solar-powered train.

When tuned through solar tunnels , electric trains on the trains will automatically switch to using solar energy inside the tunnel, reducing fuel and transportation costs, AFP quoted company director Steven De Tollenaere. responsible for the Enfinity project.

At a cost of € 15.6 million, the Solar Tunnel is 3.6 km long, running through Antwerp in northern Belgium. A total of 16,000 solar panels were used to cover the area of the tunnel 50,000 m ^2, 8x the football field.

By design capacity, the power panels will produce 3,300 megawatts / hr of power, equivalent to the average power consumption of nearly 1,000 homes. Firm specializing in alternative energy undertaking Enfinity Solar Tunnel will help eliminate 2,400 tons of CO ₂ per year, but still enough energy to supply 4,000 trains / year.

Aside from the use of power, the tunnel serves as a shield, protecting trains from fallen trees falling on track or carriages on the move, as the Solar Tunnel runs through the jungle of Antwerp. .

Enfinity hopes this project will be a stepping stone for them to replicate the green train model in the United States and elsewhere in the world. The fundraising campaign and advocacy for high-speed rail linking Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona, is being launched in the United States.

Meanwhile, in Italy, the European Union is funding a solar-powered solar panel train project, which aims to provide power to the ship's air conditioning system. In France, authorities are working on similar technology to supply power for lighting and conditioning systems on ships in the Poitou Charentes region.