Coradia iLint: The world's first hydrogen passenger trains | CNN The future of environmentally friendly travel might just be here and its Germany thats leading the charge, with the first ever rail line to be entirely run on hydrogen-powered trains. Electrolysis creates hydrogen by separating oxygen from water using an electric current. Powered by hydrogen fuel cells, the vehicles only emissions are steam and condensed water, and it is capable of operating in near-silence. Germanys recent investment in Energiepark Mainz, a plant designed to generate hydrogen from wind power, makes it a suitable location for the launch of iLint. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. 2023 Fortune Media IP Limited. News & Reviews News Wire Worlds first hydrogen trains enter regular passenger service, Alstom-built equipment begins operation on regional line in Germany. Hybrid train, a new generation, makes debut These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Global warming (hotter air temperatures around the world) is one example of climate change. The train cost $86 million, according to a report by Fuel Cell Works, and will begin by transporting passengers between two stops just outside of Hamburg. European nations are already pouring money into subsidies for companies developing battery and hydrogen technology for vehicles. The cheapest and most common method at present uses natural gas and high-temperature steam to produce hydrogen. One existing example is electrolysis, which involves splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen i.e. Click here to learn about the Unlimited Membership! The trains, five of which which debut Wednesday, will gradually replace the 15 diesel trains that currently run on the route, with all 14 running exclusively by the end of the year. The first test run of an iLint prototype took place at Alstoms Salzgitter facility in March 2017, and trials have been ongoing since. Get the newest photos, videos, stories, and more from Trains.com brands. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Just 1 kilo of hydrogen fuel can do the same as around 4.5 kilos of diesel. A hydrogen-powered train is about to make transport history The 14 two-car LINT trains were built by Alstom at its Salzgitter, Germany, shop. Is the Earths Inner Core Spinning More Slowly? German behemoth Siemens unveiled a prototype hydrogen train with national rail company Deutsche Bahn in May, with a view to a rollout in 2024. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice| Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information| Ad Choices Hydrogen trains are particularly attractive on short regional lines where the cost of a transition to electric outstrips the profitability of the route. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. On the flipside, one major benefit of trains like the Hydroflex is their potential as a bi-mode train, meaning they can run on the electrified or conventional lines alike. Marine SMEs Krensen, Trident Marine Electrical, and ACUA Ocean have announced a partnership agreement to develop Hydrogen Central brings to you news and market intelligence insights on the Hydrogen industry to support your strategic moves and help you stay ahead of the curve. Just 1 kilo of hydrogen fuel can do the same as around 4.5 kilos of diesel. Each prize-winner won $1.2 million for their efforts. The sooner they would become familiar with the technology, the sooner they would feel safe, they reasoned. Furthermore, hydrogen is not necessarily carbon-free: only green hydrogen, produced using renewable energy, is considered sustainable by experts. The plan is part of a larger effort to reduce pollution in Europe. But the engineers emphasise that Hydroflex is not just a demonstration of hydrogen-power technology it is set to become a viable commercial train, with mainline testing expected to begin in March or April this year. This map has not been loaded because of your cookie choices. What is a Hydrogen Train and How Do They Work? - TWI The train, called Hydroflex, is the UKs first to be powered by hydrogen. Will be interesting to follow on many levels reliability, cost, maintenance. high pressure operations. If the fuel cells make too much electricity, its used to recharge the trains batteries. Europe will definitely be the main market, Alstom Chief Executive Officer Henri Poupart-Lafarge said Wednesday during a company webinar, citing France, Germany, Italy and the U.K. as countries with large diesel fleets. electricity from solar photovoltaics and electrolysis of water, says Margaret S. Wooldridge, an aerospace engineer at the University of Michigan. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. A fleet of 14 trains provided by French industrial giant Alstom to the German state of Lower Saxony has replaced diesel locomotives on the 100km (60 miles) of track connecting the cities of Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven, Bremervoerde and Buxtehude near Hamburg. The city of Frankfurt, Germany has already ordered 27 of the Coradia iLint trains. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. These cookies do not store any personal information. When diesel fuel is burned, it creates carbon dioxide and other polluting gases. In Austria, the federal railway OBB tested Alstoms hydrogen train last year near Vienna and is evaluating how it compares with other systems for replacing diesel, Chief Technical Officer Mark Topal Goekceli said during the same forum. Germany launches world's first hydrogen-powered train Two trains built by the French train maker Alstom are now operating on a 62 mile stretch of line in northern Germany The world's first. We offer extensive range of proven and modular components for all types of railway vehicles. Alstoms 14 Coradia iLint passenger trains will ply a regional line between Buxtehude, outside Hamburg, and the beach town of Cuxhaven. The trains, produced by French manufacturer Alstom, cost the German railway LVNG. Multiply that train by about a billion, you get the massive future environmental destruction called The Green New Deal. BERLIN The first hydrogen-powered trainset for use in the U.S. has been presented to its owners at the InnoTrans trade fair by manufacturer Stadler which also announced an order for more of the equipment for use in Amtrak California intercity service. Partnerships have recently been signed with India and Morocco, and Chancellor Olaf Scholz sealed a green hydrogen deal with Canada on a visit this week, laying a path for a transatlantic supply chain. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. During a press event at Alstoms test facility in November 2017, company representatives said Coradia iLint could highlight the start of an industry-wide shift towards hydrogen as a sustainable fuel. This button displays the currently selected search type. The plant works by storing water, which can later be used to generate power. We will no longer buy any diesel units, saidLNVGs Schwabl during the webinar. This is the equivalent of 5 times around the globe in passenger service using only hydrogen power. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. When there is news that may not be suitable for all ages, we try to tag it. Alstom, a French company that manufactures rolling stock worldwide, is partnering with the government of Qubec, Rseau Charlevoix, Chemin de fer Charlevoix, Harnois nergies and HTEC, to showcase this new technology. unfortunate history of hydrogen-filled dirigibles, namely airships such as the ill-fated British R101 and the German Hindenburg. Currently, about one out of two regional trains in Europe runs on diesel. The UK already has 42% of its route miles electrified, according to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, meaning those trains are ready to become zero-carbon, if they use a renewable source of power. The train is based on the companys Coradia Lint DMU and has been developed in partnership with German and Canadian companies. Interested in riding a hydrogen-fueled train? That front coupler looks enormous. Hydrogen trains have become a promising way to decarbonise the rail sector and replace climate-warming diesel, which still powers 20 percent of journeys in Germany. Initially this uses hydrogen supplied by the chemical industry, although plans call for use by 2024 of green hydrogen. This will be made by electrolysis of water using power generated by solar panels and wind turbines, both widespread in northern Germany. Germany inaugurates world's first hydrogen-powered train fleet Offers may be subject to change without notice. They have a range of 1,000 kilometers (621 miles), meaning they can run for an entire day on the network on a single tank of hydrogen. Depending on the success of its implementation in Germany, iLint could prove to be an important proof case for the use of hydrogen fuel cells on trains. Other, more common manufacturing methods exist, but they emit greenhouse gases because they are made from fossil fuels. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The 14 hydrogen-powered trains join a fleet of 40 locomotives and 20 DMUs. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Another is natural gas reformation, which involves combining methane contained in natural gases with high-temperature steam. Following this, Alstom has been in talks to run trials in Liverpool, UK, as well as establish a source of hydrogen from refineries in the region. While the trains have been tested around Europe for 4 years, Germany is the first countryto greenlight a passenger train line that runs entirely on hydrogen, without diesel-fueled trains as a backup. However, since rail is already among the lowest greenhouse gas emitters in transportation, it remains to be seen whether the value of a massive overhaul of rail systems will be worth it. Reliability, ownership and servicing costs of First Hydrogen's utility van will be second to none. Science, Adsensys Brings 1MW Electrolyser to The Netherlands, Preparing For Take-off: Aviation Embraces Clean Hydrogen Ryze Hydrogen, How many Hydrogen Passenger Vehicles Have Been Sold So Far? LNVG has been testing an early model of the hydrogen-powered trains since 2018. The first fully hydrogen-powered passenger train service is now running As the world looks to curb carbon emissions, rail operators continued focus on diesel has put a spotlight on the industry. endmrw0726222107. Fuel cells have been developed for other applications, but now is the time to get this done in the railway sector. The use of hydrogen for rail vehicles is a milestone in the application of fuel cells for emission-free transport, said Linde executive board member Bernd Eulitz in a press release. The Coradia iLint is a perfect illustration for our commitment to designing and delivering innovative and environmentally-friendly solutions. Presume it is fully automatic, making all MU, brake, etc. For starters, trains are not the only means of transport hungry for the fuel. Climate change means the way the worlds weather has changed over a long period of time. Bremervrde is around 40 miles southwest of the city of Hamburg. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Updated In countries where passenger trains are less popular, like the US, the ability to convert freight trains to hydrogen power will be key to making the case for mass producing them. This bi-mode electric hydrogen train converts hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity and also has two packs of lithium-ion batteries for energy storage. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match . These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. 2. Alstom is making progress on its Coradia iLint train, the world's first hydrogen-powered passenger train, expected to launch in Germany this year. Martin Traynor OBE Expand search. etc. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Japan's first hydrogen hybrid train gears up for trial runs After the new vehicles have been built in Salzgitter, LNVG will lease them to a contracted train operator for use on the regions Buxtehude-Cuxhaven route from December 2021. To view the content, you can accept 'Non-necessary' cookies. The challenge is, at the moment hydrogen is made as a byproduct of chemical processes, says Helen Simpson, innovation and projects director at Porterbrook. On Thursday, 15 September 2022, the Alstom Coradia iLint, the world's first hydrogen train successfully traveled 1,175 km without refueling its hydrogen tank. This "zero emission" light train is as silent as an electric train and emits only water vapour. The digital emissions from this story are an estimated 1.2g to 3.6g CO2 per page view. Electrical energy is supplied on demand, meaning the fuel cell is only required to work in full operation when the train is accelerating over sustained periods. The Alstom-designed iLINT train, which uses hydrogen fuel cells and batteries, was introduced in 2016 at the Innotrans trade fair in Berlin [see Alstom unveils hydrogen-powered train , Trains News Wire, Sept. 20, 2016]. At Alstom, we value curious and innovative people who are passionate about working together to reinvent mobility, making it smarter and more sustainable. Alstom University is a learning powerhouse sharing knowledge and a means for its employees to continuously upgrade themselves, their skills and competencies. They will also be making a stop in Italy, where six trains have been commissioned for use in the northern Lombardy region, and in France, where 12 trains will be shared across four regions. The generated heat is used for air conditioning. Designed in the southern French town of Tarbes and assembled in Salzgitter in central Germany, Alstoms trains called Coradia iLint are trailblazers in the sector. https://lnkd.in/gqAADfcF. iLint: the world's first hydrogen-powered train connections as well as physically coupling. For more details, please see the blog post. The UK's first hydrogen-powered train, the HydroFLEX, was launched in 2019 and is based on a Class 319 train fitted with hydrogen fuel tanks, a fuel cell and a battery pack. Joe Baker While hydrogen has a lot of energy per mass, because it is super light, it also takes up a lot of volume, says Raphael Isaac, a researcher on fuel alternatives in rail at Michigan State University's Center for Railway Research and Education. The fuel cell supplies electrical energy by combining hydrogen, which is stored in tanks on board, and oxygen from the outside air. However, the remaining 58% of UK track is not yet electrified, so diesel trains are still needed to keep those areas connected by rail. Members enjoy 15% off any purchase in our store. President of Lower Saxony, Stephan Weil, called the news a model for the rest of the world and a milestone on the road to climate neutrality in the transport sector.. Updated at 12:15 p.m. CDT on July 27 to correct trains route, add additional details on EVB. World's first hydrogen-powered train now running in Germany Meanwhile, leading gas company Linde will supply hydrogen for the new trains and erect the first-ever hydrogen filling station for trains in Bremervrde. Leading the way to sustainable and smart mobility - naturally. Global Armored and Counter IED Vehicles Market 2014-2024, The 10 most expensive rail construction projects in 2022. Uses green -generated electricity to extract hydrogen from water to use to generate electricity a second time to power traction motors and charge batteries. Commercial trials have been carried out since 2018 on the line with two hydrogen trains but now the entire fleet is adopting the groundbreaking technology. Hydrogen is supplied to the cell and then combined with oxygen taken from the ambient air inside it. Did You Know? Powered and implemented by Interactive Data Managed Solutions. As part of the deal, Alstom will provide maintenance for the trains over a 30-year period. The company hopes the train could be highly marketable to rail operators looking to replace their DMUs on non-electrified lines. These infrastructure solutions, whether they are for urban or mainline projects, facilitate the integration of products as part of turnkey solutions. Why and how does Future Planet count carbon?