infringement procedure on Germany’s road charging scheme

The European Union has launched an infringement procedure on Germany’s introduction of a law introducing a road charging scheme for cars.

Since this measure was politically announced in 2013, the Commission has engaged in an intensive open discussion with the German authorities on its compatibility with European law.

The Commission's main concerns are on indirect discrimination based on nationality, based on two factors. The first is the fact that, effectively, only German users will not pay the road charge because their vehicle tax bill will be reduced by the exact amount of the charge. The second is that the price of short term vignettes, which are typically bought by foreign users, is disproportionally high.

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-15-5200_en.htm

new renewable energy source: evaporation

New renewable energy source: scaling up nanoscale water-driven energy conversion into evaporation-driven engines and generators. Evaporation-driven engines may find applications in powering robotic systems, sensors, devices and machinery that function in the natural environment.

http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2015/150616/ncomms8346/full/ncomms8346.html

improving visibility behind HGVs

New safety idea: improving visibility behind HGVs in order to make overtaking safer. Although this could turn the LGV into an "invisible vehicle" -potentially more dangerous, if the idea is well developed, it could make life easier and safer for many drivers.

Audi produces e-diesel and e-petrol

Audi produces first batch of Audi e-diesel (1) from water, CO2 and green power, and also produces unleaded (2), which in the medium term, the company and Global Bioenergies aim to modify the process so that it requires no biomass, instead requiring just water, hydrogen, CO2 and sunlight

(1) https://www.audi-mediacenter.com/en/press-releases/fuel-of-the-future-research-facility-in-dresden-produces-first-batch-of-audi-e-diesel-352
(2) https://www.audi-mediacenter.com/en/press-releases/researchers-produce-first-audi-e-benzin-3656

Brazil's new PPP program

Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff unveiled a concession program today aimed at drawing 198.4 billion reais (US$64 billion) in private investment to upgrade and operate Brazilian roads, railways, airports and harbor wharfs.

The largest investment has been earmarked for railways, including the country’s flagship project, the Brazil-Peru railway, which will connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the Norte-Sul line and investment in existing concessions.

Highways, ports and airports also feature in the plans, including a total of five highway concessions totalling 2,603 kilometres in 2015 and a further 11 new concessions totalling 4,867 kilometres in 2016. Investment in ports will involve new projects for 57 private use terminals.

http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/191217/brazils-rousseff-launches-massive-infrastructure-program

straightest roads in the world

New map reveals the world's straightest roads as derived from the "bendyness ratio" of each road: the length of the road divided by the length of a straight line running between its starting and ending points. Unsurprisingly, most of them are located in North America.

• Map: http://www.technomancy.org/openstreetmap/bendy-roads/ 
• Classification: http://jalopnik.com/5963917/the-longest-straight-roads-in-the-world

Germany: new toll roads

From 1 July 2015 a further 1,100 kilometres of federal trunk roads will be subject to toll. From 1 October 2015 the same will apply for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of 7.5 tonnes or more.

The trunk roads liable for toll will also include trunk roads which are not directly connected to the existing network of toll roads. A total of 44 routes are expected to be affected throughout Germany.

https://www.toll-collect.de/en/toll_collect/unternehmen/meldungen/detailsseite_news_4995.html

world's first electrical car and passenger ferry

The world’s first electrical car and passenger ferry powered by batteries has entered service in Norway. The ferry, which is 80 metres long and 20 metres wide, is driven by two electric motors and a capacity for 360 passengers and 120 vehicles.

Ship owner Norled operates on the ferry link across Sognefjord between Lavik and Oppedal, Norway. The fully electric ferry travels six kilometres across the fjord 34 times a day, with each trip taking around 20 minutes.

http://www.siemens.com/innovation/en/home/pictures-of-the-future/mobility-and-motors/electromobility-electric-ferries.html

success of the world's first solar-powered cycle lane

SolaRoad, the Dutch solar bike path (already reported in November [1]), is becoming a great success after only 6 months [2]. SolaRoad is 70 metres long and consists of a cycle path constructed of concrete modules of 2.5 to 3.5 metres.

“We did not expect a yield as high as this so quickly,” Sten de Wit, spokesman for SolaRoad, said. “The bike road opened half a year ago and already generated over 3,000 kWh. This can provide a single-person household with electricity for a year, or power an electric scooter to drive of 2.5 times around the world.

“If we translate this to an annual yield, we expect more than the 70 kWh per square meter per year, which we predicted as an upper limit in the laboratory stage. We can therefore conclude that it was a successful first half year.”

[1] http://transportengineer.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/worlds-first-solar-powered-cycle-lane.html
[2] http://us7.campaign-archive2.com/?u=fc23dec47019a23d70031492e&id=39c5c2acf8



Ingeniero de Transporte - Ruben M.Cenzano - Transportation Engineer