EUROPORTE and Saipol have signed an agreement to trial the use of Oleo100, a B100 type fuel derived entirely from French rapeseed, to power locomotives in commercial service.
A three-month trial will begin on July 6, with Stadler Euro4000 locomotives hauling freight trains on the Nogent-sur-Seine - Dunkirk and Nogent-sur-Seine - Sotteville-les-Rouen routes.
The aim of the trial is to replace part of the non-road diesel (GNR) used by Europorte locomotives on non-electrified routes with Oleo100.
This renewable fuel should reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60% from the field to rail. Europorte says that with an experimental journey estimated at 1500km per week 35 tonnes of CO2 will be saved weekly by the locomotive.
“Being the first rail freight operator to run with Oleo100 will be a real pride for us because it is fully in line with the group's policy to combat global warming as well as the dynamic innovation at the service of its customers while maintaining a high quality of service and safety,” says Europorte president, Mr Raphaël Doutrebente.
