Aurizon to develop next-generation freight trains using renewable energy

Australian rail freight company Aurizon has announced it has secured a $9.4 million grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to develop, test and trial a battery-electric tender (BET) to be used in conjunction with a modified locomotive. The trial is part of the company’s program to develop the next generation of Australian freight trains, aiming to replace diesel fuel with renewable energy sources on its locomotive fleet.

The tender — essentially a big battery-pack on wheels — will couple with the modified locomotive to operate as a hybrid unit using both diesel and battery-electric power sources. The tender’s battery will also harness regenerative energy captured as the train travels down grades and brakes as part of normal operation.

The ARENA grant represents half of the required funding for the ‘Battery Powered Tender for Heavy Haul Fleet Decarbonisation’ project, with the balance of the investment to be funded by Aurizon. The battery-electric tender and modified locomotive project will be built by Aurizon and technology project partner Alta Battery Technology (Alta) at a facility in Australia, with design and technology inputs from Alta.

The battery-electric tender is the second key initiative in Aurizon’s three-pronged strategy to deliver zero-emissions-capable freight locomotives for its national portfolio of customers.

In May 2023, Aurizon started work on the first battery-electric locomotive (BEL) to be constructed in Australia. The prototype is expected to commence on-track trials in late 2025. This technology is expected to deliver freight on hauls of up to 400 km.

The battery-electric tender, in the future, when coupled with the battery-electric locomotive, aims to extend the future range for freight hauls up to 850 km. Trials are expected to commence in early 2026.

Aurizon's battery-electric tender. For a large image click here.

In 2021 Aurizon and Anglo American agreed to work together on a feasibility study to assess the introduction of hydrogen-powered trains for bulk freight. This work concluded that a hydrogen-electric tender was the preferred configuration to pursue given the lack of space on the locomotive to store the required amount of hydrogen fuel. Aurizon continue to work with First Mode to explore this concept that when coupled to a battery-electric locomotive, aims to cater for freight hauls greater than 850 km.

“Aurizon aims to use battery and hydrogen power sources, or a combination of both, to deliver decarbonised freight solutions for customers across our national footprint, no matter how heavy or how far the freight needs to move,” said Andrew Harding, Aurizon’s Managing Director & CEO. “By delivering a locomotive fleet that can tap into renewable energy sources, Aurizon and the rail industry can do the heavy lifting in decarbonising transport supply chains in Australia. We are also working to increase the proportion of freight transported by rail rather than road, which would contribute to reducing overall transport sector emissions.”