In Lower Saxony, from September, two hydrogen-powered trains run in commercial traffic. Their electric motors, which propel the chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, are a more environmentally-friendly variant of conventional diesel engines. They do not produce carbon dioxide emissions. Trains run at a speed of up to 140 kilometers per hour.
Alstom has manufactured he Coralia iLint train models, a multinational based in France. It is the world premiere of trains, which drives a fuel cell that converts hydrogen and oxygen into electricity.
Electricity then drives an electric motor, with excess energy being stored in the battery. Roof hydrogen tanks have a maximum speed of 140 kilometers per hour without direct emissions, such as carbon dioxide, soot, and fine dust writes Der Spiegel.
“It’s a revolution for Alstom and for the future of mobility,” said Alstom CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge. The hydrogen train is ready for mass production. By 2021, the French manufacturer would have to deliver another 14 trains of this type. “Coralia iLint” announces a new era of non-emissary rail transport. Innovation is the result of French-German cooperation, “added Poupart-Lafarge.
Train in Lower Saxony
Hydrogen trains on the lines between the four cities of Lower Saxony run the EVB (Eisenbahnen und Verkehrsbetriebe Elbe-Wesser), which wants to gradually replace its diesel fleet. Above all trains are currently fueling hydrogen gas from a mobile gas station. But by 2021 stationary stations should also be set up. The train is about 1,000 kilometers long, so one tank should last for the day.
“Coralia iLint” is a green alternative to classic diesel trains, especially on non-electrified lines,” said Bernd Althusmann, Minister of Economy and Transport, Land of Lower Saxony. The German Federal Government has supported this project financially.
The next 14 Coralia iLint will cost more than 81 million euros (over two billion crowns). Carmen Schwabl, head of the Land Transport Authority in Lower Saxony LNVG (Landesnahverkehrsgesellschaft Niedersachsen), described their acquisition as a strategic decision. “We are the first rail company to replace diesel-powered cars without emissions, thereby contributing to meeting climate protection goals,” Schwablová said.
The CNBC server states that hydrogen is available in other modes worldwide. A fleet of buses runs in Aberdeen, Scotland. The European Commission identifies finally hydrogen as one of the most promising fuels for future energy use.
