In transportation, the original (2003) generic term "hydrail" includes hydrogen trains, zero-emission multiple units, or ZEMUs — generic terms describing
rail vehicles, large or small, which use on-board
hydrogen fuel as a source of
energy to power the
traction motors, or the
auxiliaries, or both. Hydrail
vehicles use the chemical energy of
hydrogen for propulsion, either by burning hydrogen in a
hydrogen internal combustion engine, or by reacting hydrogen with oxygen in a
fuel cell to run
electric motors, as the hydrogen fuel cell train. Widespread use of hydrogen for fueling
rail transportation is a basic element of the proposed
hydrogen economy. The term has been used by research scholars and technicians around the world.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
The term hydrail is believed to date back to 22 August 2003, from an invited presentation at the US Department of Transportation's Volpe Transportations Systems Center in Cambridge, MA.[7] There, Stan Thompson, a former futurist and strategic planner at US telecoms company
AT&T gave a presentation entitled the Mooresville Hydrail Initiative.[8] However, according to authors Stan Thompson and Jim Bowman, the term first appeared in print on 17 February 2004 in the
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy as a search engine target word to enable scholars and technicians around the world working in the hydrogen rail area to more easily publish and locate all work produced within the discipline.[9]
Since 2005, annual International Hydrail Conferences have been held. Organised by
Appalachian State University and the Mooresville South Iredell Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with universities and other entities, the Conferences have the aim of bringing together scientists, engineers, business leaders, industrial experts, and operators working or using the technology around the world in order to expedite deployment of the technology for environmental, climate, energy security and economic development reasons. Presenters at these conferences have included national and state/provincial agencies from the US, Austria, Canada, China, Denmark, the EU, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Korea, Russia, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United Nations (UNIDO-ICHET).[citation needed] In its early years, these conferences were largely dominated by academic fields; however, by 2013, an increasing number of businesses and industrial figures have reportedly been in attendance.[10]
During the 2010s, both fuel cells and hydrogen generation equipment have been taken up by several transport operators across various countries, such as China, Germany, Japan, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Many of the same technologies that can be applied to hydrail vehicles can be applied to other forms of transport as well, such as road vehicles.[10][8]
Hydrogen is a common and easy to find
element, given that each molecule of
water has two
atoms of hydrogen for every
oxygen atom present.[10] Hydrogen can be separated from water via several means, including
steam reforming (normally involving the use of
fossil fuels) and electrolysis (which requires large amounts of
electricity and is less commonly used). Once isolated, hydrogen can serve as a form of fuel.[10] It has been proposed that hydrogen for fueling hydrail vehicles can be produced in individual maintenance depots, requiring only a steady supply of electricity and water; it can then be pumped into pressurised tanks upon the vehicle.[10]
The development of lighter and more capable fuel cells has increased the viability of hydrogen-powered vehicles. According to Canadian company Hydrogenics, in 2001, its 25 kW fuel cell weighed 290 kg and had an efficiency ranging between 38 and 45 per cent; however, by 2017, they were producing more powerful and compact fuel cells weighing 72 kg and with an efficiency between 48 and 55 per cent, a roughly five-fold increase in power density.[10] According to Rail Engineer, the use of hydrogen propulsion on certain types of trains, such as freight locomotives or high-speed trains, is less attractive and more challenging than on lower-powered applications, such as shunting locomotives and multiple units.[10] The publication also observes that pressure to cut emissions within the railway industry is likely to play a role in stimulating demand for the uptake of hydrail.[10]
A key technology of a typical hydrogen propulsion system is the
fuel cell. This device converts the
chemical energy contained within the hydrogen in order to generate electricity, as well as water and heat.[10] As such, a fuel cell would operate in a manner that is essentially inverse to the electrolysis process used to create the fuel; consuming pure hydrogen to produce electricity rather than consuming electrical energy to produce hydrogen, albeit incurring some level of energy losses in the exchange.[10] Reportedly, the efficiency of converting electricity to hydrogen and back again is just beneath 30 per cent, roughly similar to contemporary diesel engines but less than conventional electric traction using
overhead catenary wires. The electricity produced by the onboard fuel cell would be fed into a
motor to propel the train.[10] Overhead wire electrification costs are around EUR 2m/km, so electrification is not a cost-efficient solution for routes with low traffic, and battery and hydrail solutions may be alternatives.[11]
Railway industrial publication Railway Engineer has theorised that the expanding prevalence of wind power has led to some countries having surpluses of electrical energy during nighttime hours, and that this trend could offer a means of low-cost and highly available energy with which hydrogen could be conveniently produced via electrolysis.[10] Thus, it is believed that the production of hydrogen using
off-peak electricity available from countries'
electrical grids will be one of the most economic practices available. As of January 2017, hydrogen produced via electrolysis commonly costs roughly the same as
natural gas and costs almost double the price of diesel fuel; however, unlike either of these fossil-based fuels, hydrogen propulsion produces zero vehicle emissions.[10] A 2018
European Commission report states that if hydrogen is produced by
steam methane reforming, hydrail emissions are 45% lower than diesel trains.[11]
According to Rail Engineer and Alstom, a 10MW wind farm is capable of comfortably producing 2.5 tonnes of hydrogen per day; enough to power a fleet of 14 iLint trains over a distance of 600 km per day.[10] Reportedly, as of January 2017, production of hydrogen worldwide has been expanding in quantity and availability, increasing its attractiveness as a fuel. The need to build up a capable distribution network for hydrogen, which in turn requires substantial investments to be made, is likely to play a role in restraining the growth of hydrail at least in the short term.[10]
It was observed by Railway Technology that the rail industry has been historically slow to adopt new technologies and relatively conservative in outlook; however, a successful large-scale deployment of this technology by an early adopter may be decisive in overcoming attitudes of reluctance and traditionalism.[8] Additionally, there could be significant benefits to transitioning from diesel to hydrail propulsion. According to the results of a study performed by a consortium of
Hitachi Rail Europe, the
University of Birmingham, and Fuel Cell Systems Ltd, hydrail vehicles in the form of re-powered diesel multiple units could be capable of generating significant energy consumption reductions; reportedly, their model indicated a saving of up to 52 per cent on the
Norwich to
Sheringham line over conventional traction.[10] An intermediate step using railroad-familiar technology is burning a mixture of diesel and hydrogen in conventional engines although this is not zero emission, the ultimate goal.[12]
Hydrolley
A hydrolley is a term for a
streetcar or tram (trolley) powered by hydrail technology. The term (for hydrogen trolley) was coined at the Fourth International Hydrail Conference, Valencia, Spain, in 2008, as a research-simplifying search engine target word. Onboard hydrogen-derived power eliminates the need for overhead trolley arms and track electrification, greatly reducing construction cost, reducing
visual pollution and eliminating the maintenance expense of track electrification. The term 'hydrolley' is preferred to 'hydrail light rail' or other combinations which might connote external electrification.[citation needed]
In 2002, the first 3.6 tonne, 17 kW, hydrogen-powered mining
locomotive powered by Nuvera Fuel Cells for
Placer Dome was demonstrated in
Val-d'Or,
Quebec.[14]
In October 2006, the
Railway Technical Research Institute in Japan conducted tests on a fuel cell hydrail, a 70-ton intercity train powered by Nuvera Fuel Cells.[16]
In 2010, a 357-kilometre (222 mi) high-speed hydrail line was proposed in Indonesia.[20] The rail link, now under feasibility study, would connect several cities in
Java with a hydrogen-powered maglev system.[21][22]
In 2011,
FEVE and the
University of Valladolid (CIDAUT) launched the FC
TramH 2 Project in
Asturias using a converted FABIOLOS series 3400 from
SNCV.[23][10] It can carry up to 30 passengers with a maximum speed of 20 km/h.
Between 2012 and 2014, testing was conducted on the hydrail concept in
China.[28] In November 2010,
Southwest Jiaotong University demonstrated their first hydrail prototype.[29]
During September 2016, Alstom revealed their newly developed iLint train, produced at their factory in
Salzgitter. In November 2017, the state of Lower Saxony's local transportation authority ordered an initial fleet of 14 iLints. Testing and approval by the German Federal Railway Authority
Eisenbahn-Bundesamt commenced in late 2016.[35]
2016 – CRRC TRC(Tangshan) developed the world's first commercial fuel cell hybrid tram and completed its first test run on Nanhu industrial tourism demonstration operation in 2017.
2018 – A pair of prototype Ilint trains are to enter regular revenue service on the Buxtehude–Bremervörde–Bremerhaven–Cuxhaven region. Schleswig-Holstein intends to electrify the entirety of its 1,100 km network using a fleet of 60 iLint hydrail vehicles by 2025.[8] As of January 2018, all vehicles are planned to be maintained at a depot in Bremervorde, which will be the world's first hydrogen train refuelling depot; hydrogen is to be generated on-site using local wind turbines.[10]
In September 2017, Alstom proposed a trial of Hydrogen Fuel Cell powered train on the new
Liverpool to
Chester line in
England, which is scheduled for opening in December 2018. Alstom have a new facility in
Halebank on the edge of Liverpool adjacent to the line, with hydrogen available from the nearby
Stanlow Refinery.[36]
In March 2018, the
Sarawak state government in
Malaysia proposed that the
KuchingLight Rail Transit system will be powered using hydrogen fuel cells and is expected to be completed by 2024.[37] However, in September 2018, the Sarawak Chief Minister announced that the project has been placed on hold, citing that the funds were needed elsewhere.[38]
In June 2019,
East Japan Railway Company announced that it is investing into developing a two-car trainset using hydrogen fuel-cell technology from
Toyota, hoping to start trials by 2021 and have commercially viable technology ready by 2024. Toyota has been using fuel cell technology in the
Mirai cars.[39]
In September 2022, Caltrans and CalSTA placed an order for 29 (4 on official order and 25 will be optional) Hydrogen Fuel Cell transits from Stadler. These trains will be used on Amtrak California services.[44]
The proposed
Valley Link commuter rail service in Northern California is planning to use zero emission hydrogen trainsets for its operations.[48][49]
Operating trains by country
Germany
In September 2018, the world's first commercial hydrogen-powered passenger train entered service in
Lower Saxony,
Germany. The
Alstom-developed train uses a hydrogen fuel cell which emits no
carbon dioxide.[50] In August 2022, the first rail line entirely run by hydrogen-powered trains debuted in Bremervörde, Lower Saxony, where the route's 15 diesel trains are getting gradually replaced.[51]
Drawbacks
In October 2022, the German state of Baden-Württemberg announced that it would not be considering further use of hydrogen trains, as a study it commissioned found them up to 80% more expensive than electric trains powered by batteries or overhead wires.[52]
^Delucchi, M. A.; Jacobson, M. Z. (2010). "Providing all global energy with wind, water, and solar power, Part II: Reliability, system and transmission costs, and policies". Energy Policy. 39 (3): 1170–1190.
doi:
10.1016/j.enpol.2010.11.045.
^Marin, G. D.; Naterer, G. F.; Gabriel, K. (2010). "Rail transportation by hydrogen vs. Electrification – Case study for Ontario, Canada, II: Energy supply and distribution". International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. 35 (12): 6097–6107.
doi:
10.1016/j.ijhydene.2010.03.095.
^Shah, Narendra (29 March 2022).
"Hydrogen-Powered Trains". Metro Rail News.
Archived from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
^Stan Thompson and Jim Bowman (2004) "The Mooresville Hydrail Initiative", International Journal of Hydrogen Energy29(4): 438, in "News and Views" (a non-peer-reviewed section)
^
abEuropean Commission. Directorate General for Research Innovation (November 2018).
Final Report of the High-Level Panel of the European Decarbonisation Pathways Initiative(PDF).
European Commission. p. 57.
doi:
10.2777/636.
ISBN978-92-79-96827-3.
Archived(PDF) from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2020. Hydrogen fuel cell trains are also more expensive than diesel ones (+30 %) because their energy costs are currently higher and they are less efficient than electric trains. However, their GHG emissions are 45 % lower than diesel, even if hydrogen is produced via steam methane reforming. These 58 emissions can decrease to almost negligible levels when using green and low-carbon hydrogen.
^Lewis, Bernard; Guenther, von Elbe (1961). Combustion, Flames and Explosions of Gases (2nd ed.). New York: Academic Press, Inc. p. 535.
ISBN978-0124467507.