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First Hydrogen Train in North America Records Successful Summer Demonstration, Curbing 22 Tons of CO2 Emissions

First Hydrogen Train in North America Records Successful Summer Demonstration, Curbing 22 Tons of CO2 Emissions
foto: Alstom/First Hydrogen Train in North America Records Successful Summer Demonstration, Curbing 22 Tons of CO2 Emissions
16 / 10 / 2023

Alstom announced the first results of North America’s first demonstration of hydrogen-powered trains. The Coradia iLint carried more than 10,000 passengers, over 130 trips spanning 10,660 kilometres in Quebec this summer from mid-June to the end of September.

The demonstration saved an estimated 8,400 litres of diesel and averted 22 tons of CO2 emissions compared to the diesel trains that normally service this route. Moreover, Alstom and its partners welcomed 34 commercial, governmental and regulatory delegations from all over North America looking to witness this hydrogen-propulsion technology and capture the requirements for wider implementation across North America.

“This summer, we demonstrated that hydrogen trains can be an attractive, safe and viable alternative to diesel on non-electrified lines and that we can do it right here in North America,” said Michael Keroullé, President of Alstom in the Americas. “Alstom has clearly taken the lead in supporting rail operators and authorities in their environmental transformation, thanks to its unmatched portfolio of green solutions and its ability to bring together the best players in the industry.”

Only 1% of the North American rail network is electrified today. To decarbonise the rail sector in time to meet national, provincial and state-level climate goals, there must be significant investments in track electrification along with the adoption of alternative green traction solutions, including battery-powered and hydrogen-powered trains. Alstom conducted this first-time-in-America demonstration as a proof of concept in real operating conditions for hydrogen trains, which bring multiple benefits, including no carbon emissions from the propulsion system, quieter operations, and greater operational autonomy before refuelling than battery-powered trains.

Source: Alstom

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