Engie successfully refuels hydrogen-powered train in Dutch test

The test run of the hydrogen-powered passenger train, the Coradia iLint, on Dutch rail tracks has been hailed as success by the train’s renewable hydrogen supplier Engie SA (EPA:ENGI).

The French energy giant on Friday said it successfully refuelled the Coradia iLint six times and operated the mobile refuelling station during the pilot test that took place in the Northern Netherlands between February 27 and March 11.

“The success of this pilot test enables us to scale up the solution to support the Northern Netherlands local governments’ zero-emission goal for public transport, and further expand the solution to other countries and regions where hydrogen trains are being deployed, such as France,” said Michele Azalbert, CEO of Engie's Hydrogen Business Unit.

Engie’s partner Energystock, an affiliate of Dutch gas transport and storage infrastructure company N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie, provided conversion services to make renewable hydrogen available.

The Coradia iLint train, powered by a hydrogen fuel cell that produces electricity for traction, was developed and manufactured by France’s Alstom SA (EPA:ALO).

The tests were conducted on the 55-kilometre (34.2 miles) line between the towns of Groningen and Leeuwarden at a speed of up to 140 km/h (87 mph), without passengers.

The pilot trials were led by the province of Groningen and conducted with railway operator Arriva, Dutch railway infrastructure manager ProRail and an independent testing organisation DEKRA, alongside Engie and Alstom.

Engie said that hydrogen-powered trains could be introduced in the Netherlands as early as 2024. The company intends to continue its collaboration with Alstom on the development of a renewable hydrogen train in the Netherlands.

Engie is also a partner with Gasunie on HyNetherlands, a joint large-scale hydrogen project in Groningen, for which it is developing the electrolyser, while the Dutch company will provide the infrastructure.

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