A Chinese super capacitor tram system could be the solution to Auckland's jammed traffic, says a local businessman who showed off the system to council officials a few weeks ago.
John Dalzell, former chief executive of the Auckland Council-controlled property business Panuku Development Auckland, is in a consortium which wants to build the city's new light rail from the CBD to the airport.
Dalzell arranged for Auckland mayor Phil Goff, planning committee chairman Chris Darby and councillor Ross Clow to see the tram operating in Guangzhou in October.
Dalzell said the Chinese electric tram system was the best option for Auckland and Darby expressed enthusiasm.
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How light rail could look on Queen Street, central Auckland.
"This could take advantage of new technology that eliminates the need for overhead wires except at the stations where overhead wires allow a direct charge to super capacitor units rather than traditional batteries," Dalzell said.
Phil Twyford, Transport Minister, said in late November that the benefits of light rail to Auckland were enormous.
"The establishment of a light rail network in Auckland will significantly increase the $1.3b a year of benefits that road users, including freight companies, experience from reduced congestion," Twyford said.
The Government will introduce a regional fuel tax on Auckland motorists to help fund a multibillion-dollar investment.
Dalzell, of Silk Road Management, said he had worked with James Leach, major project lead at engineer and design consultants Harrison Grierson, to form a new business, CadeNZA.
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Grass surrounds tram tracks in Guangzhou, China. Photo/Chris Darby
"CadeNZA is a consortium led by China Machinery Engineering Corporation which partnered with local expertise to bid on major New Zealand infrastructure projects - including Auckland's new light rail from the Wynyard Quarter to Auckland International Airport," Dalzell said.
Dalzell said the consortium was working with China Railway Group subsidiary CRRC Zhuzhou.
"They have particular skills in building electric locomotives, mass transit vehicles, intercity electric multiple units, Maglev trains and super-capacitor trams/trolley buses," Dalzell said of CRRC.
"They have developed 53 types of mainline electric locomotives for rapid passenger transit, dual-purpose transport, heavy-duty freight transport, totalling 8200 locomotives, and hold 60 per cent of the domestic Chinese market," Dalzell said.
CRRC had completed nearly 30 contracts internationally, including Singapore, Turkey, India, Malaysia and South Africa.
The CRRC super capacitor tram was launched in 2012 and has minimal environmental impact because it operates without the need for catenary or third rail power supply, he said.
"More than 80 per cent of the train's dynamic energy can be restored in a super capacitor and recycled for the next journey, and overall energy savings of up to 30 per cent can be achieved," he said.
CRRC's super capacitor tram system, put into operation in Guangzhou in 2014 and in Huai'an in 2015, he said.
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Auckland mayor Phil Goff, with councillor Ross Clow in the background, riding the Guangzhou tram in October. (Photo/Chris Darby)
Darby said he rode the tram in Guangzhou during October when he attended a tripartite summit between Guangzhou, Los Angeles and Auckland.
"Mayor Goff, councillor Ross Clow and I also had first-hand experience of the CRRC super capacitor contemporary tram when we went for a ride on the 7.2km line on the south side of Guangzhou's Pearl River, a line that was constructed in 13 months," Darby said.
"This technology represents one of the many fast-developing rapid transit technologies evident around the world. The race is on to develop innovative urban mass transit solutions and with Auckland facing the same mass transit challenges as hundreds of other global cities, the demand for solutions is accelerated.
"I'm picking the technology we eventually run with is something far removed from light-rail as we currently think of it. The current discourse on heavy rail versus light rail will look very dull on reflection. Don't be surprised if the mass transit network we commit to - city-airport/west/North Shore - will present a radical departure from current thinking, such is the pace of research and development of new technologies," Darby said.
"The super capacitor is one of those new ideas. It removes the need for visually intrusive overhead gantry and provides greater security of energy supply with lower risk of electrical network failure," Darby said.
Auckland Transport was looking at a range of options and nothing was decided, Darby said.
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