Westport joins locomotive builder to progress Canadian sustainable program

As per the consortium agreement, Westport will provide its core technologies for the engine and fuel system, while EMD will contribute its expertise to integrate the natural-gas engine, related components and controls to build a working locomotive platform. “Our HPDI technology is ideally suited to high-horsepower applications such as locomotives as it retains the diesel engine’s favourable operating characteristics, while reducing carbon emissions. We are looking forward to a successful demonstration program with our partners that will potentially transform the rail industry,” said Paul Blomerus, Senior Director, High Horsepower of Westport Innovations.

According to the United Nations Statistics Division, railroads around the world burn 9 billion gallons of diesel fuel annually, largely in the transportation of freight. The development of natural gas locomotives will dramatically reduce the cost of transporting the world’s primary resources and manufactured goods because of the low price of LNG compared with diesel fuel.

In February, Westport secured a funding commitment of C$2.3 million to develop its HPDI technology for high-horsepower applications from SDTC. The goal is to significantly improve the cost structure for operators of high-horsepower equipment while achieving compliance with increasingly stringent emission regulations and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 27%.

Source: Westport Innovations Inc.