First two sentences makes clear what this is about:
Diesel-electric locomotives have been barreling along America’s wide-open spaces for generations, and the century-old combination of consistent, high-efficiency diesel engines spinning up generators to power high-torque electric motors has proven tough to beat. Now, Caterpillar is putting that century-old concept to work in an even bigger dozer – and the promised efficiency gains are incredible.
It’s not exactly train tech, it’s just a diesel generator providing electricity. Not really interesting, reads like an ad.
Also, seriously? New diesel products? In 2026?!
Diesel electric generators are pretty efficient for very off grid use cases. Until we find a energy source as good and dense and light as boom boom liquids we’ll likely keep using them.
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A bigger machine without having to put a bigger diesel engine because a smaller diesel powerplant running electric motors will do the same job is better for the environment. Less diesel burned to do the same job when you are talking about industry that runs 24/7 means less pollution.
If it takes off, it also represents a bit of demand destruction right? If this version works well and more efficiently companies might switch over when diesel is expensive and not switch back if it gets cheap.
You do not at all understand the problem space of large systems in mining and construction, do you?
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That is a separate conversation from whether large industrial dozers are needed.
If you think they aren’t needed you are mistaking your desire for degrowth broadly with the idea we don’t need large dozers as tools.
What if I use a dozer to help install a new septic system that vastly reduces and essentially eliminates runoff into wetlands? Or a grid scale solar array? What if I use it to rebuild a bridge that has become unsafe? Like anything else it is complicated.
Electric drive heavy industrial equipment is absoulutely solarpunk though, not the least because it sets the conditions for further electrification because the drive train is powered by an electric motor.
