WIND WILL RIDE THE RAILS

Wind energy already has the most positive Energy Returned On Energy Invested (EROEI) of any of the New Energies (as calculated by the masters at The Oil Drum) and this will allow the equipment to arrive at its location even more more energy efficient.

Union Pacific Offers Rail Transportation Solutions to Emerging Wind Energy Industry; Nation’s Most Environmentally-Friendly Railroad is First to Join AWEA
December 6, 2007 (Business Wire via Yahoo Finance)

WHO
Union Pacific Railroad (Eric Butler, vice president/general manager), American Wind Energy Association (AWEA)

A Union Pacific transport with sections of a turbine tower. (click to enlarge)

WHAT
Union Pacific took up membership in AWEA along with a commitment to provide factory-to-wind farm service for wind turbines and wind installation parts.

WHEN
- AWEA has been the wind energy industry’s trade association since 1974.
- Union Pacific’s announcement came December 6.
- Railroad fuel efficiency has increased 72% since 1980.

WHERE
Union Pacific Railroad links 23 states in the western 2/3 of the US and associated population centers, w/long-haul routes from all major West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways, service to all six major gateways to Mexico and connections to Canadian systems.

WHY
- AWEA membership includes turbine manufacturers, wind project developers, utilities, academicians, and others.
- Presently, wind shippers primarily use trucks but rising fuel costs make trains a more efficient choice because of better locomotive technology, engineer training and employee involvement:
1980 - 1 gallon of diesel fuel moved one ton of freight 235 miles.
2001 - 1 gallon of diesel fuel moved one ton of freight 406 miles.
2006 - 1 gallon of diesel fuel moved one ton of freight 780 miles.
- Union Pacific carries Agricultural Products, Automotive, Chemicals, Energy, Industrial Products and Intermodal.

The more traditional form of transport. (click to enlarge)

QUOTES
Butler, Union Pacific: “According to AWEA and our own research, many of the ports served by Union Pacific are expanding investment and capacity to unload shipments of wind energy components and equipment that are critical to projects designed to create new sources of electricity…The wind power business is an emerging market and we intend to compete with other transportation service providers to be the leading company to serve this growing industry.”