Reducing carbon emissions on Indian Railways

Australian export case study

Indian Railways – one of the largest and busiest rail networks in the world – is conducting trials of Australian fuel efficient software which will reduce carbon emissions and save up to 16 per cent on fuel.

Called Freightmiser®, the energy optimisation software from Australian rail company TTG Transportation Technology was developed in conjunction with the University of South Australia.

A computer-based system, Freightmiser® sits inside the railway driver’s car where it displays track profile information and calculates optimal speed and power applications to achieve best performance.

“The savings can be huge,” said TTG Transportation Technology’s Managing Director, Dale Coleman, “because India spends about US$2 billion a year on energy for freight and passenger rail.

“The state-run Indian Railways network transports 16 million passengers and one million tonnes of freight every day, with routes traversing the length and breadth of the country.”

The Freightmiser® trials in India are expected to be completed by mid-2010. 

TTG Transportation Technology has also sold Freightmiser® to the UK, where it will be used on trains there for the first time, and has just signed a contract with China Northern Rail for rail cleaning technology.

Mr Coleman said that Austrade had helped the company in all of these markets.

“Austrade has been of invaluable assistance to us in many different parts of the world.”