Following recent news of the purchase of ten electric locomotives from Wabtec, Union Pacific railroad has followed up by purchasing another ten from Progress Rail, a Caterpillar Inc. company. Union Pacific’s combined electric locomotive purchases and upgrades to its rail yard infrastructure are expected to exceed $100 million, making it the largest investment in battery-electric technology by a US Class I railroad.

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In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):

• Caterpillar agrees to develop all-electric mining machines for Nouveau Monde Graphite.
• Democratic Republic of Congo will build two solar farms in the copper- and cobalt-rich southeast.
• UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.

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Caterpillar, along with Pon Equipment, has unveiled an all-electric 26-ton excavator with a giant 300 kWh battery pack in an effort to electrify construction equipment. expand full story

Fisker, an electric car startup founded by famed designer Henrik Fisker, announced that it received an investment from heavy machinery manufacturer Caterpillar for its solid-state battery technology. expand full story

Caterpillar – the company known for building some of the biggest, baddest construction hardware on the planet has launched a new product line: CAT Microgrid Technology powered with Solar Power. Caterpillar’s product line is focused on mining, telecoms and remote communities, but a push by the likes of SolarCity, The State of New York and Community Solar, and you’ll soon see why Microgrids will reshape how your neighborhood gets it electricity.

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