Germany is launching a fully hydrogen-powered railway line on Wednesday, a “world first” and a step towards decarbonizing rail, local press reports.
A fleet of fourteen trains, supplied by the French Alstom to the region of Lower Saxony (north), will replace the current diesel locomotives on the hundred kilometers of the line connecting the cities of Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven, Bremervörde and Buxtehud, not far from Hamburg.
Hydrogen trains are a privileged way to reduce CO2 emissions, and replace diesel, which still supplies 20% of journeys in Germany.
They mix hydrogen on board with oxygen present in the ambient air, thanks to a fuel cell installed in the roof. This produces the electricity needed to pull the train.
Commercial trials have been carried out since 2018 on this line with the regular circulation of two hydrogen trains. The entire fleet is now adopting this technology.
According to the French research institute IFP, which specializes in energy issues, hydrogen is currently “95% derived from the transformation of fossil fuels, almost half of which from natural gas”.
