Raphael Thys
Industrial gas giant Linde has taken forward its aims to advance hydrogen-powered transport following the announcement that it has inaugurated the world’s first hydrogen refuelling system for passenger trains.
Equipped with a total capacity of around 1.6 tonnes of hydrogen per day, Linde’s proprietary hydrogen refuelling system will refuel 14 hydrogen-powered passenger trains, enabling each train to run for 1,000 km on a single refuelling.
The new emission-free trains will replace the existing diesel-powered trains that make up Bremervorde’s rail network in Germany.
Designed with the transition towards green fuels in mind, the system will feature the ability to integrate future on-site green hydrogen generation.
Stating that Linde is committed to making a significant contribution towards decarbonisation transport in Europe, Veerle Slenders, President Region Europe West, Linde, added, “We are proud that Linde’s innovative technology plays a key role in support this project.”
Following the launch of the Coradia ILint – a CO2-emission-free train - Germany has pioneered hydrogen-fuelled train travel.
Having entered commercial service in 2018, the train’s exhaust emits just steam and condensed water.
“The world’s first hydrogen train, the Coradia iLint, demonstrates a clear commitment to green mobility combined with the latest technology,” said Muslum Yakisan, President of Alstom in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
“We are very proud to see the first series operation in action together with our partners Linde, LNVG, and evb.”
A global leader in the hydrogen economy, Linde also operates the world’s first high-purity hydrogen storage cavern plus pipeline networks totalling approximately 1,000 km globally.