The FCH2Rail vehicle has therefore now become the first hydrogen train to receive approval from railway infrastructure manager ADIF to run on the Spanish network.
According to CAF, the Canfranc line, where the demonstrator train is first being tested, is particularly demanding due to its steep and high gradients, involving “a great challenge for the new power generation systems.”
However, the demonstrator train, which is a converted Renfe Civia commuter unit, has successfully run on the Zaragoza-Canfranc line in electric mode, in the electrified area, and in hybrid mode, combining energy from hydrogen fuel cells and batteries in the non-electrified sections.
A new stage of on-track testing is now underway, according to CAF, with the aim of testing the new technology in a wide range of power and energy demand conditions, simulating different commercial services.
To this end, the train is scheduled to run on different lines of the Spanish railway network, mainly on lines in Aragon, Madrid, and Galicia. The test scenarios include running under different climatic and operating conditions. This will allow for a more complete characterization of the new on-board technology, for the subsequent evaluation of the competitiveness of the new bi-mode hybrid propulsion solution with hydrogen fuel cells as a sustainable alternative to the diesel traction currently used on many lines.
The FCH2Rail project is being carried out by a consortium of companies formed by CAF, DLR, Toyota, Renfe, Adif, CNH2, IP and Stemmann-Technik. The demonstrator train is based on an existing Renfe commuter train, in which CAF has installed a new power generation system that uses energy from hydrogen fuel cells and batteries.
This new power system has been integrated into the vehicle’s existing traction system. After the static testing phase at CAF’s plant in Zaragoza and the first hydrogen refueling, the dynamic tests began in mid-2022 on a closed track, which have served to optimize the new power system prior to the current testing phase on representative lines of the Spanish railway network.
The success in the development of this project confirms and reinforces the commitment of the companies that make up the FCH2Rail consortium to the development of environmentally friendly mobility solutions. Likewise, the project counts during this stage of the tests on the invaluable collaboration of companies such as Iberdrola, in terms of the supply of green hydrogen for the train tests, SHIE-ARPA, providing a high-pressure hydrogen dispensing solution, and Ercros, a producer of green H2 for mobility applications, which has facilitated the use of its facilities in Sabiñanigo during the testing stage between Sabiñanigo and Canfranc.
The FCH2Rail project began in early 2021 and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2024. The project has a €14 million budget, €10 million of which is being funded by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, formerly FCH2 JU, a European Commission agency dedicated to promoting the development of hydrogen and fuel cells.