Brazil: An agreement has been signed between US locomotive manufacturer Wabtec and local mining company Vale.
Under the terms of the deal, the partners plan to develop studies on a dual-fuel engine that can use both diesel and a mixture of diesel and ethanol. The project is claimed to be the first of its kind worldwide.
Laboratory tests are expected to be completed in 2027, assessing fuel efficiency, emission reduction dynamics and the ethanol/diesel substitution rate. Based on the results, a decision will be made on whether to implement this traction system on locomotives operating on the 905km Vitória–Minas line.
Render of a locomotive by Wabtec for Vale. Source: Wabtec
Ethanol-based traction could potentially be applied to a fleet of 50 Evolution Series locomotives ordered by Vale from Wabtec in March. The contract already includes the supply of locomotives with dual-fuel engines, prepared to operate with up to 25% biodiesel mixed with diesel. Wabtec has been developing the dual-fuel engine technology since 2022.
It is worth noting that ethyl alcohol has long been used as a fuel in Brazil. The country is the world’s largest producer of sugarcane, which has supported the development of ethanol production. Ethanol is already widely used as a fuel for road vehicles across Brazil.
