COMMENTARY by Jonathan Newell, Editor


HYDROGEN: A NEW TRAIN OF THOUGHT


T


he diesel locomotives that replaced steam power 50 years ago and were hailed as the ecological route to the future are now as vilified as their predecessors. Yet despite extensive railway electrification, there remain large tracts that still rely on diesel. Now, a new report from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers is calling


for hydrogen power to provide the traction away from electrified lines. The report states that investment in hydrogen trains is a vital part of the process to improve air quality but must not be seen as an easy replacement for electrification schemes. Hydrogen, which can be an alternative to fossil fuels, producing only


water as waste emission at the point of use, is a clean technology that can help decarbonise the railway industry. The basis of the report is that around 29 per cent of Britain’s fleet


currently runs only on diesel fuel, which emits large concentrations of particulate matter, and that hydrogen trains could be seen as a solution by government to avoid expensive electrification schemes. However, the answer isn’t as simple as it seems. The IMechE says that


hydrogen isn’t suitable for freight and high-speed trains because it requires a large amount of storage space. On rural routes, too, infrastructure costs for refuelling would be high and often trains on short rural routes originate in cities, where electrification already exists. An example is the route from Manchester to Windermere. Most of the


route is electrified but diesel power is required for the “last mile” of rural track. In this case, hydrogen power would be required for the whole distance and electrification of the last section of the route to Windermere is strongly opposed locally. Despite the difficulties of introducing hydrogen to the rail network, the


‘


can help decarbonise the railway industry


IMechE recommends the following: n government rethinks the cancellation of electrification programmes and moves forward with a more innovative and long-term approach; n industry encourages the development and deployment of hydrogen trains and their fuelling and servicing facilities; and n hydrogen train technology be developed in industrial areas where hydrogen production already occurs and can support the wider transport system. An example of how this could be achieved is to refuel local hydrogen buses as well as trains at an industrial site and to pump hydrogen into the gas grid to help decarbonise heat. Both the North West and the North East could support test beds, sharing knowledge across sectors while providing cost reductions in hydrogen fuel.


Hydrogen ’


Testing& Test Houses EDITORIAL


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March 2019 /// Testing & Test Houses /// 3


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