ALSTOM has signed a partnership agreement with Engie to develop a hydrogen logistics and refuelling chain for freight locomotives operating on non-electrified lines.
The partners believe they can work together to accelerate the development of hydrogen as a viable, clean alternative to diesel. Under the partnership, Alstom will design a high-power hydrogen fuel cell and Engie will develop a supply chain to provide the hydrogen.
Engie plans to develop 4 gigawatt of renewable hydrogen production capacity by 2030, with a 700km dedicated hydrogen supply network and 1 terawatt-hour of storage capacity serving 100 refuelling stations.
The announcement follows a successful live test conducted by Alstom and Engie in March 2020 in the Dutch Province of Groningen, where renewable hydrogen was used to refuel a Coradia iLint passenger train.
An in-depth review of the potential of hydrogen appeared in the October issue of IRJ, and is available for online subscribers here.
