Based on the agreement, Air Products will distribute and store hydrogen and provide the hydrogen refueling infrastructure within its own supply chain. Alstom will provide hydrogen fuel cell-powered trains.
The joint effort on the Polish ground is a continuation of Air Products’ partnership with Alstom undertaken in 2022 with the signing of a letter of intent to decarbonize rail transportation in the Czech Republic using low-carbon hydrogen.
“As a world leader with more than 60 years of experience in safe delivery and hydrogen infrastructure, we are investing in projects that enable low-emission hydrogen,” said Jacek Cichosz, president of the management board, Air Products in Poland.
“We believe that together with Alstom we can build environmental awareness among operators and suppliers of the transport industry in Poland. We want to implement solutions for hydrogen fueling of transportation means, including rail vehicles. Together we will prove that hydrogen is applicable to railroads, and that the operation of hydrogen trains is a robust technology that is both safe and environmentally friendly, as well as economically efficient,” Cichosz added.
Sławomir Cyza, CEO and Managing Director of Alstom in Poland, Ukraine, and Baltic States, continued, “Decarbonizing transportation and moving toward carbon neutrality requires real and immediate action. The development of innovative rail transportation is the right answer to this challenge. Alstom was the first to introduce a hydrogen train for commercial use, which is already being successfully used in passenger traffic. Thus, the Coradia iLint is the world's first operating passenger hydrogen train with zero direct emissions that is also energy efficient.
“Based on our experience in developing innovative technologies, together with Air Products, we are ready to introduce the hydrogen train to Polish railways, thus participating in the hydrogen revolution,” added Cyza.
In Poland, Air Products has pioneered deployments of hydrogen-powered public transportation. After demonstrating a hydrogen-powered city bus in Jaworzno, conducted jointly with partners bus manufacturer Solaris, PKM Jaworzno and the city government, the company has taken another step toward applying hydrogen to transportation, this time by rail.
In Europe, Air Products opened its first hydrogen refueling station back in 1994 and continues to make significant progress in the application of hydrogen both as a transportation fuel and as a fuel for power generation.
By combining Alstom’s hydrogen technologies and Air Products’ 60 years of experience in the production and distribution of hydrogen, the partners guarantee significant technological advances and gain a joint competitive advantage in the market. The cooperation undertaken by Air Products and Alstom opens Polish rail transportation to future zero-emission technologies.