In this period when we say goodbye to fossil fuels, we are now turning to more environmentally friendly vehicles. While the number of electric vehicles is increasing day by day, environmentally friendly vehicles are starting to be adopted in public transportation. The last example of these was the hydrogen-powered passenger trains.
Hydrogen-powered trains start services in Germany
In Germany, 5 trains working with hydrogen fuel cells have started to work. The obsolete string locomotives are expected to be replaced by 14 hydrogen fuel cell trains by the end of the year. Trains operating in Germany’s Lower Saxony state pass through cities such as Hannover and Bremen.
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It has been announced that the new trains in the fleet are produced by the French company Alstom. According to the manufacturer’s statement, trains with a range of 1,000 kilometers can reach speeds of up to 140 km / h. Trains are also quite environmentally friendly compared to diesel derivatives.
Alstom claims that trains that run on hydrogen rather than diesel will save more than 1.6 million in fuel. Thus, it is stated that annual CO2 emissions can be reduced by more than 460,000 tons. Currently, the hydrogen used to power trains will be produced as a byproduct in chemical processes. But German energy company Linde has announced that they plan to produce a stable source of hydrogen using only renewable energy “within three years”.
Germany currently has 4,000 diesel trains. In the coming period, the number of hydrogen fuel cell trains is expected to increase gradually. 27 more trains have already been ordered for use in the Frankfurt region. Besides Germany, these trains will soon be used in Italy and France.
These trains are not the first hydrogen-powered models to hit the rails, but they will be used so widely for the first time. The first hydrogen trains entered service in 2018. It would be more accurate to say that these trains are in the testing process in terms of both number and route maintenance.
So what do you think about trains running on hydrogen fuel cells? You can share your views with us in the comments section.