San Francisco-based SunTrain has proposed a unique and efficient way to deliver power between solar and wind farms in Colorado by deploying battery storage on freight trains.
SunTrain’s rail solution to battery storage
The company’s concept is to transport charged batteries from solar and wind farms via rail cars to power plants in the Denver area. Each of these standard-sized 20-foot containers can store up to 4.8 kWh.
The containers will be transported by Union Pacific and BNSF Railway trains, using existing rail infrastructure, avoiding the need to build expensive transmission lines. In collaboration with Xcel Energy , Colorado’s largest electric utility, SunTrain plans to deliver these batteries to power plants like the Cherokee Generating Station.
The company’s project uses specialized charging and unloading stations that can charge up to four batteries in a single car, in approximately four hours. This system guarantees an efficient and scalable operation that could be expanded to other regions of the United States.
With plans to expand its train fleet and replicate the model in other states such as California and Texas, SunTrain aims to transform the way renewable energy is transported across the country. This project also underscores the importance of leveraging existing rail networks to minimize environmental impact and costs.
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Source and photos: SunTrain
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