Civia is a class of EMUs built by CAF and Siemens for the Renfe Cercanías commuter railway networks in Spain.
Once the installation of the bi-mode propulsion (electric and hydrogen) has been completed on the EMU, by mid-2022, a test period will begin to verify the capacities of hydrogen applied to railway traction.
The FCH2Rail consortium is currently analyzing the lines on which these tests could be carried out, considering their potential and their environmental benefits.
The FCH2Rail (Fuel Cell Hybrid Power Pack for Rail Applications) project is funded by the public-private partnership Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU), promoted by the EU, within its Horizon 2020 program. The FCH JU supports research on clean carbon energy technologies, and in particular, the development of the hydrogen fuel cell.
The analysis of the viability of the hydrogen train, as well as its integration in a hybrid propulsion system, is the first of the nine work packages in which FCH2Rail is structured. Of these, another 6 are already underway, including the development of regulations for the new train, safety analysis and communication of the project's achievements.
To find out more about FCH2Rail, click here.