Railway: Germany launches its first 100% hydrogen line, when for France?

It is a small revolution that is taking shape in Germany. The country on Wednesday inaugurated the world’s first rail line to run entirely on hydrogen.

The fleet of 14 regional trains, supplied by the French group Alstom to the region of Lower Saxony (North), now runs the hundred kilometers of the line that connects the cities of Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven, Bremervörde and Buxtehude, not far from Hamburg.

These new trains make it possible to decarbonise the still very numerous non-electrified lines (20% in Germany, 50% in Europe, 40% in France), mainly regional, on which diesel-powered trains run. However, the electrification of these lines is not possible given the cost/profitability ratio.

Important demand in Europe

The new fleet, which has cost “93 million euros”, will avoid generating “4,400 tons of CO2 each year”, according to LNVG, the regional network operator.

New enthusiasm for the train combined with environmental concerns are driving European demand for these new generation trains, particularly in Italy and Sweden. “By 2035, around 15 to 20% of the European regional market could run on hydrogen,” Alexandre Charpentier, railway expert at Roland Berger, confirms to AFP.

In France, the country of Alstom, things are taking longer than expected. In April 2021, the manufacturer received a first order for 12 trains from the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Occitanie, Grand Est and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions (3 trains ordered for each region plus 2 optional trains for the Grand Est region). ).

But, according to the information communicated by the company, it will be necessary to wait until the end of 2023 to see the circulation of a first test train, the start-up of serial production and the establishment of hydrogen infrastructures (refueling stations, in particular) .

Not before 2025/2026 to see commercial launches in France

Then 2025 to obtain commercial service authorizations for a mini fleet of trains in order to collect the first feedback. Therefore, a large-scale commercial launch is not planned before 2025-2026, while SNCF initially expected 2024…

Although Alstom’s hydrogen trains (Coradia iLint) are technically operational, there are still many obstacles to overcome.

Main problem: refuel the trains. Alstom and Hynamics Thus, it signed an association in November 2021 to “define an international refueling standard that will limit the immobilization of hydrogen trains during their filling”.

“The number one goal is to be able to meet the operators’ commitments tomorrow to fill the tanks in a very short time, in complete safety,” explains the manager.

obstacles to overcome

And there is work. At the moment, the two partners are working on a joint project of modelling, calculation and simulation, that is, “a theoretical phase”, explains Christelle Rouillé.

“The second phase will be to define international standards, standards that are still being drafted because this market is still emerging,” he continues. It must be said that the technological differences between countries are numerous. In Germany, for example, where hydrogen trains have run commercially, the trains used are not the same as in France.

At that point, the challenge will not be fully met. For Hynamics, the economic model of hydrogen for transport will only be viable through “a pooling of infrastructures for different types of land transport”. Therefore, we can imagine filling stations supplying hydrogen for both trains and coaches located close to the stations.

Problem, the resource is still scarce and many sectors are positioning themselves: automotive, chemical, steel… However, productive infrastructures (not necessarily carbon-free, on the other hand) are still scarce in Europe despite the ambitions shown by various states such as France. and Germany

Meanwhile, Alstom rubs his hands together. A pioneer in the field, he saw how his portfolio of orders was filled at great speed: France, Germany, Italy, Sweden. In Germany alone, “between 2,500 and 3,000 diesel trains could be replaced by hydrogen,” Stefan Schrank, project manager at Alstom, told AFP. However, the French manufacturer will have to deal with its German competitor Siemens, which now works closely with the national operator, Deutsche Bahn.