Hydrogen will play an important role in railway networks over the coming years. Only half of Europe’s rail network is electrified, which is why many trains still run on diesel. Spain’s first hydrogen train has already traveled 10,000 kilometers.
The FCH2Rail project is a consortium formed by companies from Spain, Belgium, Germany and Portugal: CAF, DLR, Renfe, Toyota Motor Europe, Adif, IP, CNH2 and Faiveley Stemmann Technik.
The objective of this project, which has a budget of 14 million euros, 70% financed with European funds, is replace diesel with hydrogena clean and renewable energy, to power train batteries on routes where the track is not electrified.
The first hydrogen train is already circulating in Spain
According to Hosteltur, the FCH2Rail project It began a few months ago with the adaptation of a Renfe commuter train, to which a hydrogen fuel cell was added.
The hydrogen train, which you can see in the opening photo of the news, has already traveled 10,000 kilometers in the regions of Aragón, Madrid and Galicia, as well as Portugal.
The key point has been the section between Canfranc and Zaragoza, in the heart of the Aragonese Pyrenees, where the hydrogen train has had to climb steep hills. But he has responded without any problem.
The circulation was carried out both in electric mode, in the electrified area, and in hybrid mode, combining hydrogen cells and batteries, in the non-electrified sections.
The FCH2Rail project is focused on commuter trains, but it is also underway the Hympulso project, which wants to apply hydrogen at high speed. Talgo, Golendus, Ingeteam, Optimus3D, Repsol and Sener are participating.
Hympulso focuses on electrifying the railway network with energy generated entirely from renewable sources, such as hydrogen, on all high-speed lines, including those that do not have catenary. For this Hydrogen feed tanks will be installed.
A Talgo 250 train will also be adapted that will use hydrogen and batteries on the non-electrified sections of the high-speed tracks.
The train is one of the cleanest means of transportation, and Thanks to the adoption of hydrogen, your carbon footprint will be reduced even further. Great news for the environment.
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Tags: Viral, Renfe, Renewable energies, Environment