Worth more than six million euros with the objective of promoting the switch to electric trains
Efacec was selected by Midtjyske Jernbaner (MJBA), a railway operator in the Midtjylland region in Denmark, to supply a charging infrastructure for its recently acquired battery-powered trains. The contract is worth more than six million euros and promotes the switch to electric trains.
This installation plays a very important role in the energy transition process initiated by MJBA, since its completion will allow the operation of new electric trains to begin, replacing the current diesel vehicles.
MJBA plans to reinforce the transition process with the use of renewable energy, having considered the possibility of installing solar panels to enable the charging of their new battery trains as well as buses and electric vehicles with renewable energy.
The contract includes the design and supply, on a turnkey basis, of a station with 4.4 MW of power and three stationary charging points via short segments of 25 kV overhead line that will allow a train to be charged in less than 10 minutes.
Ângelo Ramalho, CEO of Efacec, says: “Midtjyske Jernbaner trusted in our innovation and the excellence of our work, awarding us this first contract for this type of equipment in Denmark, strengthening Efacec’s position at the forefront of an emerging market segment with a very significant growth potential.”
This is the first project of its kind in Denmark. The use of electric trains with batteries allows for the electrified operation of sections of the railway network with lower traffic density, and where the installation of traditional overhead lines solutions is not economically justified This accelerates the transition to a greener operation. Charging through an overhead line has an additional advantage since it allows for the same trains to operate on sections that are already electrified.
“This project consolidates Efacec’s presence in important mobility projects in Denmark, namely the Odense Light Railway and the expansion of the Copenhagen Metro, among others. The positive results of the work that has been carried out in the Nordic markets and the high quality of project execution reinforce the confidence of our clients and their technical consultants in Efacec’s know-how, making it possible to carry out such an innovative and challenging project,” adds Ângelo Ramalho.
“We are very pleased to have signed a contract with Efacec for the supply of the charging infrastructure here in Lemvig for our upcoming battery trains. The new infrastructure is the foundation for our vision to become the first train operator in Denmark to operate battery trains. We look forward to collaborating with Efacec and benefitting from their vast experience and expertise,” says Arne Lægaard, chairman of the board at MJBA.
