Close your eyes and imagine with us for a moment a mode of transportation whose only emission is water. Imagine that said transportation method could run for 100 kilometers at speeds up to 70 kilometers per hour. That’s right: Foshan, in Guangdong province, is set to be the first Chinese city to operate a hydrogen-powered tram system.
As the world’s biggest polluter, China may have earned its reputation as the big bad wolf of greenhouse gas emissions. That being said, officials left many with their mouths open recently after their rare admission that they are aware of the negative impacts emissions have on global climate, which could threaten the country’s infrastructure projects, crop yields and environment.
Although still reluctant to set a target for slashing emissions, China is investing a substantial amount into green energy and was even a world leader in renewable energy production back in 2013. They generate more wind power than any other country in the world and their contributions accounted for almost 30% of all global investment in clean energy. Now, continuing with their push for clean energy developments, China has just announced the production of the world’s first hydrogen-powered tram.
The vehicle was developed by Sifang, a subsidiary of China South Rail Corporation, and was rolled off the assembly line in Qiangdao, Shandong Province, last week. Although hydrogen fuel cells have been around for a while and are currently being used and tested in various vehicles, including buses, nobody had managed to master the technology for trams before.
“It took two years for Sifang to solve key technological problems, with the help of research institutions,” said chief engineer Liang Jianying, according to Xinhua news agency. But Liang did not give any indication as to when the tram would be in operation.
Hydrogen-powered trams are an attractive mode of transport for numerous reasons. Hydrogen is extremely abundant and can be extracted from a variety of sources, both renewable and non-renewable. Furthermore, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are zero emission, producing only water. The newly designed vehicle will also help slash energy running costs as one tank will last for around 100 kilometers (62 miles), and it only takes three minutes to refuel.
“The average distance of tramcar lines in China is about fifteen kilometers [nine miles], which means one refill for our tram is enough for three
Kufunga macho yako na kufikiria na sisi kwa muda aina ya usafiri ambayo uzalishaji tu ni maji. Kwa mfano, fikiria kwamba unaweza kusafiri umbali wa kilomita 100 kwa mwendo wa kilomita 70 kwa saa. Hiyo ni kweli: Foshan, katika mkoa wa Guangdong, imewekwa kuwa mji wa kwanza wa China kuendesha mfumo wa tramu inayoendeshwa na hidrojeni. "Kwa kuwa China ndiyo nchi inayosababisha uchafuzi mkubwa zaidi duniani, huenda ikawa imejipatia sifa ya ""mbwa mwitu mkubwa mbaya"" wa uzalishaji wa gesi za chafu." "Wakuu wa serikali wamewaachia wengi wakiwa na vinywa wazi hivi karibuni baada ya kukiri kwa mara ya kwanza kwamba wanafahamu athari mbaya za uzalishaji wa gesi kwenye hali ya hewa ya dunia, ambayo inaweza kutishia miradi ya miundombinu ya nchi, mazao na mazingira. """ Ingawa bado haijaribu kuweka lengo la kupunguza uzalishaji wa gesi, China inawekeza kiasi kikubwa katika nishati ya kijani na hata ilikuwa kiongozi wa ulimwengu katika uzalishaji wa nishati mbadala nyuma katika 2013. Nchi hizo zinazalisha nishati ya upepo zaidi kuliko nchi nyingine yoyote duniani na mchango wao unahesabu karibu 30% ya uwekezaji wote wa kimataifa katika nishati safi. China inaendelea na maendeleo ya nishati safi na imetoa tangazo la uzalishaji wa tramu ya kwanza ya hidrojeni duniani Gari hilo lilitengenezwa na kampuni ya Sifang, kampuni tanzu ya China South Rail Corporation, na lilitolewa kwenye mstari wa kusanyiko huko Qiangdao, mkoa wa Shandong, wiki iliyopita. Ingawa seli za mafuta ya hidrojeni zimekuwa zipo kwa muda na kwa sasa zinatumiwa na kupimwa katika magari mbalimbali, ikiwa ni pamoja na mabasi, hakuna mtu aliyepata kufanikiwa kuendesha teknolojia hiyo kwa ajili ya tramu kabla. "Ilichukua miaka miwili kwa Sifang kutatua matatizo muhimu ya kiteknolojia, kwa msaada wa taasisi za utafiti", alisema mhandisi mkuu Liang Jianying, kulingana na shirika la habari la Xinhua. Lakini Liang hakutoa dalili yoyote kuhusu wakati ambapo tramu hiyo ingeanza kufanya kazi. Magari-moshi ya umeme yanayoendeshwa kwa hidrojeni ni njia yenye kuvutia ya usafiri kwa sababu nyingi. Hidrojeni ni nyingi sana na inaweza kuchimbwa kutoka vyanzo mbalimbali, vyote viwezavyo kubadilishwa na visivyoweza kubadilishwa. Isitoshe, magari ya kutumia chembe za mafuta ya hidrojeni hayazalishi gesi yoyote, na hutokeza maji tu. Gari hilo jipya litasaidia kupunguza gharama za kuendesha gari kwa sababu tank moja itadumu kwa kilomita 100 na itachukua dakika tatu tu kujaza mafuta. <unk>Wastani wa umbali wa mistari ya tramu nchini China ni karibu kilomita kumi na tano, ambayo inamaanisha kujaza moja kwa tramu yetu ni ya kutosha kwa tatu