Tech Roundup: Vale launches Brazil’s first electric train

You’re reading The Brazilian Report’s weekly tech roundup, a digest of the most important news on technology and innovation in Brazil. This week’s topics: Vale launches the first electric locomotive in Brazil, Claro’s push to revive pay-TV and app couriers moves to regulate their career.

Brazil’s first electric train makes maiden voyage

Developed by mining giant Vale in partnership with U.S. company Caterpillar Progress Rail, Brazil’s first electric locomotive made a successful maiden voyage on September 12. The new line connects the city of Sete Lagoas, in a mining-intensive region of Minas Gerais, to its Tubarão unit, in the state of Espírito Santo — the world’s largest pellet-producing center.

• The train is in a trial stage and will be powered by a battery that can run for up to 24 hours without recharging.

Why it matters. The electric line is part of a Vale plan to reduce its carbon footprint by one-third by 2030 and go fully carbon neutral by 2050. According to the firm, railway transport makes up for 10 percent of its greenhouse emissions.

Yes, but … As Benjamin Fogel reported earlier this week, Vale still has failed to significantly improve safety procedures and suggest appropriate changes to its operations after multiple environmental disasters.

• Federal prosecutors are launching a number of new lawsuits, claiming that Vale has still only made cosmetic changes.

Innovation. Besides the electric train, innovation efforts by Vale include a project to develop a 5G lab to support Industry 4.0 operations. 

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