(22/06/2023)   

The FCH2Rail project, which is being carried out by a consortium made up of CAF, DLR, Toyota, Renfe, Adif, CNH2, IP and Stemmann-Technik, involves the development of a hydrogen-powered bi-mode demonstrator train which has already obtained authorization to run tests on the General Interest Railway Network.

During its routes on the Zaragoza-Canfranc line, a particularly demanding line due to its steep and elevated ramps, the demonstrator train, a Renfe commuter unit, has circulated both in electric mode, in the electrified area, and in hybrid mode, combining energy from hydrogen cells and batteries, in the non-electrified sections.

New phase

A new stage of on-track testing is now underway with the aim of testing the new technology in a wide range of power and energy demand conditions, simulating different commercial services. To this end, the train is scheduled to run on lines in Aragon, Madrid and Galicia under different climatic and operating conditions. This will allow a more complete characterisation of the new on-board technology, for the subsequent evaluation of the competitiveness of the new bi-mode hybrid propulsion solution with hydrogen fuel cells as a sustainable alternative to the diesel traction currently used on many lines.

Project

The FCH2Rail project is based on a current Renfe commuter unit, in which the consortium has installed a new solution for the generation of electrical energy from the hybridization of energy from hydrogen fuel cells and batteries, and, at the same time, has integrated it with the traction system already existing in the vehicle.

The FCH2Rail project began in early 2021 and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2024. With a budget of 14 million Euros, the project has financing of 10 million Euros from Clean Hydrogen Partnership, an agency of the European Commission dedicated to promoting the development of hydrogen and fuel cells.