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ADVERTORIAL
How a UK nano-technology company has solved the problem of hydrogen permeation on hydrogen trains and ancillary infrastructure
An absolute game changer for Hydrogen in rail
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n an innovative move towards a sustainable future, the UK rail industry is turning to green hydrogen as the linchpin of its decarbonisation mission. This approach aims to usher in a new era of emissionfree transport, poised to eclipse conventional trains that rely either on dirty fossil fuels or infrastructureintensive overhead lines. In a decisive move toward cleaner transport, the UK government unveiled a visionary plan in 2018: the phasing out of diesel-only trains by 2040. This ambitious commitment holds great promise for emission reduction, but its delivery is not without challenges. Currently, a staggering 29 per cent of all trains, and a massive 90 per cent of freight trains, rely on diesel propulsion. According to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, only 42 per cent of track is electrified. Whilst increasing the electrification of the network would seem to be the obvious solution, it would be prohibitively expensive to install overhead electric lines across the entire country. The physically restrictive nature of the world’s oldest rail network and disparity in usage of different lines brings additional complexity.
Transport currently accounts for around a An alternative to electrification quarter of the Hydrogen-powered trains have emerged as a leading solution and one of the best alternatives to UK’s greenhouse electrification. One of the main benefits of hydrogen is the ability to replace trains with no change in gas emissions, service quality to passengers, the ability to meet existing timetables, and with minimum disruption to and hydrogen services, all while reducing emissions. Hydrogen is passed through a fuel cell, and through a chemical represents a major process, electricity is generated. There are no greenhouse gas emissions, and the only by-product opportunity to is water. If the hydrogen is sourced from electrolysis powered by renewables, then the whole solution reduce this becomes “zero emission”. The imperative now lies in identifying sustainable green alternatives to seamlessly replace these fossil fuel-dependent units without the need for expensive and complex overhead infrastructure.
However, this solution is not without its challenges. Hydrogen trains still need refuelling and therefore hydrogen production facilities and refuelling infrastructure will be needed.
October 2023