For the Siemens Mobility contract, Ballard received an order for 14 200kW fuel cell modules to power a fleet of seven Mireo Plus H passenger trains. Delivery of the 14 fuel cell modules is expected to start in 2023 with the fleet planned to be in service in the Berlin-Brandenburg region in late 2024.
In addition to the initial order of 14 fuel cell modules, Siemens Mobility also signed a letter of intent with Ballard for the supply of 200 fuel cell modules totaling 40MW over the next six years, including a firm commitment on 100 of the fuel cell modules totaling 20MW. The modules will be used for Siemen’s Mireo Plus H trains.
“This is a significant milestone for our multi-year collaboration efforts with Siemens Mobility and the future of zero-emission commuter rail in Europe,” said David Mucciacciaro, Ballard chief commercial officer. “Our fuel cell technology is an ideal solution to support the heavy payload, long range and rapid refueling requirements of Siemen Mobility’s passenger train fleet.
“We look forward to our continued collaboration and are excited for the opportunity to support the Berlin and Brandenburg region’s first hydrogen powered rail network. We will continue our work to secure platform wins with key partners in our core verticals and to support their scaling plans to achieve decarbonization.”
Jochen Steinbauer, platform director H2 technologies at Siemens Mobility, added, “We can only meet climate change targets by increasing rail transportation. Our first order for a fleet of hydrogen-powered trains will enable emission-free rail transport on non-electrified routes in Germany. Our Mireo Plus H is a next-generation hydrogen train, featuring longer range, faster acceleration, and state-of-the-art technologies, setting new standards in zero-emission passenger transport.”
Siemens Mobility announced its first serial order for its emission-free Mireo Plus H hydrogen train in June this year. The firm will build seven two-car trains with fuel cell drives and lithium-ion batteries for Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn (NEB) to provide more sustainable commuter trains in the Berlin/Brandenburg area in Germany.
Stadler contract
Ballard has also signed a contract with Stadler Rail to supply six 100 kW FCmove-HD+ fuel cell engines to power the first hydrogen train in the United States.
The contract to provide the hydrogen-powered train was awarded to Stadler by San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA), with the option of additional trains in the future. The train is expected to be in service in San Bernardino, California in 2024 and will seat over 100 passengers.
Martin Ritter, CEO of Stadler US commented, “Stadler is committed to designing and building green technology for the transportation industry. We are delighted to work alongside innovative organizations, like SBCTA and Ballard, that share our enthusiasm to reduce emissions in the sector. It is a great honor to be a part of bringing the first hydrogen-powered train to the United States.”