Spain is building the world

[Tietar]

New Trams by CAF for the province of Utrecht

Today, the Province of Utrecht (Netherlands) and CAF signed a supplementary agreement, ordering the production and delivery of 22 trams, type Urbos 100, in addition to the ongoing order for 27 trams. The contract was closed by Jacqueline Verbeek-Nijhof, on behalf of the Provincial Excecutive, and Josu Esnaola, sales director CAF.



The new trams will replace the more than 30 year old vehicles currently operating on the line between the cities of Utrecht, Nieuwegein and IJsselstein. It is expected that this improved service will attract more passengers. Therefore the new trams are an extended version of the Urbos 100 tram ordered in January 2015 by the Province of Utrecht for the Uithofline.

This new series of trams will boost light rail ridership on the Uithofline by 35,000 passengers per day in 2018, rising to 45,000 passengers per day in 2020. Ridership is also forecast to increase along the route to and from Nieuwegein and IJsselstein.

The new trams consist of 7 modules instead of 5, thus reaching a length of over 41 metres. Apart from the difference in length both versions of the Urbos 100 trams are identical. Is it also possible to couple the two tram versions leading to a total length of 75 metres and a total capacity of almost 500 passengers. This will make it the longest city tram expected to operate in Europe.



Energy efficient

Both tram versions are energy efficient, using regenerative braking and LED-lighting, and are prepared for installation of an energy recovery pack system which reduces energy consumption even more. In addition, this new system allows the tram to run without the traditional overhead catenary. Apart from the attractive appearance and high comfort level, passengers will enjoy the transparent interior, easy accessibility, comfortable climate control and accurate passenger information systems.

The first Urbos 100 tram for the new fleet has arrived in Utrecht and is now made ready for test runs. These trams will be expected to operate on the Uithofline in the summer of 2018. The second batch of 22 trams is planned to start operations in Utrecht, Nieuwegein and IJsselstein in 2020.

Once again, this certifies the significance of the European market for the company. Stand out projects amongst those currently implemented on the continent include the supply of trams for the cities of Freiburg, Cagliari, St. Étienne, Luxembourg and Amsterdam, metro units for Brussels, Istanbul and Helsinki, commuter and regional trains for the United Kingdom and The Netherlands, and high speed trains for Norway.

http://railtube.info/2017/01/new-tra...f-utrecht-caf/

[Tietar]

Lasers Substitute Stickers on Contemporary Meals

Spanish company Laserfood wants to replace plastic and paper labels on food completely, and a laser-based system called "Natural Branding" is the answer. Laserfood's system works by naturally marking the produce without harming it. There is no impact on the food in any way, and it still lasts as long and taste the same.



A lot of fresh food comes in its own natural packaging meaning there's no real need to encase them in plastic. I'm talking about produce such as potatoes, apples, oranges, bananas, avocados, and coconuts. And yet, you'll still find small plastic stickers attached to these foods advertising brand or variety. That practice could soon be a thing of the past, though, thanks to lasers.

Typically, a label consists of plastic or paper, glue, and inks. These are not easily recycled and cease being useful as soon as a product is purchased or consumed. By using Natural Branding instead, nothing is added to the product so it remains 100% recyclable.

To label the food, it is placed on a conveyor belt allowing it to pass through the Laserfood machine where it is exposed to light and then a contrast liquid. The light targets specific cells on the skin of the food to form a desired pattern by making them retract. A contrast liquid is then sprayed to make the retracted cells change color and the pattern becomes much more obvious.

The Laserfood machine can be programmed to print any number of details on to the food just like a printer. This could include a brand, dates, origin, or even images if desirable.

Laserfood managed to secure its first large-scale commercial customer earlier this month. Swedish retailer ICA is going to use Natural Branding on the sweet potatoes and avocados it sells. By doing so, over the course of a year the Fresh Produce Journal reports that ICA will require 725,000 fewer labels and in the process avoid using 220km of plastic.

Imagine applying the same technique to all fresh produce across all major food stores!




http://uk.pcmag.com/printer-reviews/...-on-fresh-food

[Graham]

The Queensferry Crossing, Edinburgh, Scotland, bridge tallest in the UK
Dragados/Hochtief, €1100 M

To be completed this year. Last section completed this week



Was an international job.

[Hexachordia]

If Russia and China want to reclaim their supposed past glory, why should Europe not to reclaim their own ? Nice works there, Espania!

[Hexachordia]

Gamesa to install Asia's tallest wind turbines in Thailand

Wind Turbine maker Gamesa today declared it has won a contract for installation of Asia's tallest wind turbines in Thailand. The towers will stretch 153 metre high and the turbines will also be the longest-ever supplied by the firm.



New Delhi: Wind Turbine maker Gamesa today declared it has won a contract for installation of Asia's tallest wind turbines in Thailand. The towers will stretch 153 metre high and the turbines will also be the longest-ever supplied by the firm.

"In designing such tall towers, which are almost 30 metre taller than is usual for this model, and at a competitive cost, Gamesa's Reseach and Development team has achieved a major technological feat, " said Juan Diego Diaz, Marketing Director, Gamesa .

On the one hand, we reduce the cost of energy of the complex by boosting total energy output as the turbines will reach heights at which the wind blows harder. On the other hand, we are demonstrating once again our ability to respond to what the market needs thanks to the versatility of our turbines.

The project, owned by the company Gunkul Engineering PCL, will install 33 turbines with total capacity of 67.5 MW at the Sarahnlom wind farm being built by the developer PowerChina ZhongNan in the province of Nakhon Ratchasima in central Thailand.

All the turbines at this wind complex will be equipped with 153-metre tall towers factoring in its 56-metre blades. They will reach a total height of around 210 metres from ground to blade tip. The turbines will be supplied during the first quarter of 2017 and commissioned the following quarter. Gamesa will also maintain the complex for 10 years.


http://energy.economictimes.indiatim...iland/54424228

Good, Cambodia and Burma now are being flooded with international businesses, Spain will not want to miss chances there.

[gültekin]

Are you trolling ? OHL (Obrascon Huarte Lain) is not participant of three-level tunnel project,its Turkish-Korean.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/ist...&NewsCatID=341
OHL is only a participant of "Marmaray", responsible for CR3 contract, improvement of suburban rail lines. this two are different projects.
http://www.ohl.es/en/press-room/news...phorus-strait/

Bosphorus sub-sea tunnel, Turkey, World’s first three-level tunnel and Deepest Undersea
OHL (70%), €1,040 M

[Tietar]

true, are 3 projects

Was an international job.

Yes

The winning FCBC consortium is made up of American Bridge International (USA), Dragados (Spain), Hochtief (Germany), and Morrison Construction (UK). But FCBC is not a straight four-nation split. Both Dragados and Hochtief are subsidiaries of the Spanish giant Actividades de Construccione y Servicios (ACS). So Spanish-owned companies have 56% of the main contract, and I suppose, the lion’s share of any profits. Any profit from Morrison Construction’s minority share belongs to its parent, the English building firm Galliford Try.

http://sceptical.scot/2015/06/double...h-engineering/

[Tietar]

A new market for CAF: French RATP orders hybrid shunting locomotives

We did not see this one coming! Not Alstom, but CAF will be delivering new hybrid shunting locomotives to RATP, the public transport operator in and around Paris. RATP will use the locos for maintenance and construction trains on its network. Starting in the first quarter of 2019, CAF will deliver twelve hybrid (electric + NiCd battery) locomotives. There is an option for six more units. The order volume is 65 million euro when RATP decides to buy 18 locos.



CAF being the winner is a blow for Alstom, that was hoping to sell its new ‘Prima H4’ mid-cab hybrid locomotive to RATP. Alstom is eagerly searching for new customers for its locomotive products, as the order book is quite empty, and because it is under severe pressure of both the local and national government to keep its locomotive factory in Belfort going. Last year, Alstom announced that it wanted to close down the Belfort site to save costs. It is anticipating on the not so optimistic forecasts of the French/European rolling stock market.

CAF got mixed up in the Belfort discussion as it was afraid the government would award Alstom directly with new orders, just to save jobs in the Belfort region. CAF stated European legislation requires a public tender process and a fair chance for all competitors. So it went, and now CAF is the winner. Saillant detail: CAF is from Spain. However, it has announced it will design and produce the new locomotives in France, in its factory in Bagnères de Bigorre, in the very south (Hautes Pyrénées). But still no good news for the employees of Belfort.

RATP decided to tender for 1MW electric hybrid locomotives as these machines can be operated fully independently from the infrastructure. This is very useful on track sections that are under maintenance or under construction. RATP choose to install NiCd batteries in stead of diesel engines so offer its employees are healthier work environment. Especially in tunnels, the low-noise and emission-free locomotives are very welcome.

The order is also remarkable as a mid-cab shunting locomotive is new for CAF. The Spanish manufacturer is gearing up and entering new markets in order to stay relevant in a market that is globalizing rapidly.

http://railcolornews.com/2017/02/06/...g-locomotives/

[Tietar]

Gamesa to supply the wind turbines for Indonesia’s first wind farm

Gamesa, a global technology leader in wind energy, has entered into an agreement with PT UPC Sidrap Bayu Energi – a joint venture owned by UPC Renewables, PT Binatek and AC Energy Holdings- for the supply of 75 MW for the first wind farm ever to be commissioned in Indonesia, a high-potential wind market.



This order also constitutes a sales and product milestone for Gamesa as it marks the first time its G114-2.5 MW model will be installed in Asia-Pacific. These turbines will reach up to 2.625 MW under certain technical conditions.

Specifically, the company will commission 30 of these turbines at the Sidrap wind farm, located on the island of Sulawesi. The machines are slated for delivery during the third quarter of this year and the project is due to be commissioned in the first quarter of 2018.

This project is part of the Indonesian government program to reach 35 GW by 2019, combining traditional and renewable sources. Longer term, its goal is to have 23% of output generated from renewable sources by 2025.

Besides this maiden order in Indonesia, Gamesa’s Asian footprint also extends to Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Sri Lanka, China and India, having installed over 8,000 MW in these markets.

Gamesa’s 2.5-MW turbines, which are underpinned by the technology proven and validated in its 2.0-MW platform, come in three rotor sizes: 106, 114 and 126 metres.

With optimized models for medium and low wind locations, their higher nominal capacity in turn delivers higher output and a lower cost of energy.

http://www.evwind.es/2017/02/09/game...ind-farm/58759

[Tietar]

The Smach Z Will Try To Steal Nintendo Switch's Crown This Year As The Only Hybrid Handheld PC That Can Play Steam Games

The Smach Z console is an elaborate device that promises to bring PC gaming to a handheld console. They have already benchmarked "DOTA 2," "The Witcher 2," and "Team Fortress 2." So far the handheld PC console can run the games on decent FPS. The results are better than Nintendo's benchmarks on the upcoming Switch Console.



The Smach Team (developers of the console) has so far raised more than $1 million dollars on both Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Both are popular crowdfunding platforms for many tech innovators and inventors.

So far the team has surpassed their campaign goals to release the Smach Z to many of their backers and possibly the global market. The estimated time for the handheld PC console's release will be on May this year.

The handheld console has a 4-core AMD Merlin Falcon RX-421BD processor and a Radeon R7 GPU running at 800MHz. It has 2 models namely the Smach Z and the Smach Z Pro. The Smach Z packs 4GB of ram and the Smach Z Pro has 8GB DDR4 2133 MHz ram. Both variants will have an impressive 6 inch AMOLED touchscreen for better and brighter colors. The Pro model will also have 4G and Wi-Fi connectivity plus a 5-megapixel camera.

If you are asking how powerful the hardware is, the console has tried to run some of today's games. Benchmarks for the handheld console has been amazing and you can see the actual fps on each of their tests.

"Skyrim" can run on high settings on 720p resolution running at 25 FPS. "Alien: Isolation" on ultra settings on 720p runs at 35 FPS. "Overwatch" at medium settings on 720p can do at least 30 FPS.

2016 has offered gamers multitudes of options to play their favorite games. Nintendo has unveiled the Hybrid Switch console and Microsoft is drawing attention with Project Scorpio. Meanwhile, Sony has already released the PS4 Pro and the Xbox One S is keeping up the pace.

Until the consumers can get the actual Smach Z console on their hands and give their honest review, we are not sure if the handheld will be a hit. The idea of having a handheld PC console is not bad, consumers will have to wait until May to decide if it's worth the investment.

http://www.mobilenapps.com/articles/...team-games.htm