Work on the new facility was officially kicked off by Denmark’s Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen on Friday June 2. According to Midtjyske Jernbaner, the transformer and charging facilities will be “first of their kind” in Denmark and will form a pilot project “to gather knowledge and experience that other train companies can use for the transition to fossil-free train operation in the future.”
More details on what the new facility will look like are still to be confirmed as the plant is currently out for tender, Midtjyske Jernbaner noted. The firm did add, however, that the charging system for the battery trains will initially be supplied with power from Jutland Energy. The long-term plan is for Midtjyske Jernbaner to build a solar power plant near Lemvig Station to supply green electricity.
Charging facilities for electric cars and buses will also be established at Lemvig Station.
Arne Lægaard, chairman of Midtjyske Jernbaner’s board of directors, said, “I see it as a great gift that Midtjyske Jernbaner, the country’s smallest train company, is leading in its work with battery-powered train operation. The great support from the government and members of parliament, the region, Lemvig municipality, electricity companies and other players ensure that we will reach our goal and get our green battery trains in operation.”
Midtjyske Jernbaner announced in March 2022 that it had chosen Siemens Mobility to supply seven battery-powered trains for use in the West Jutland region of Denmark. The existing trains have been in operation for more than 40 years.
“We decided from the start that our new trains should be as climate friendly as possible, so that we can contribute to making public transport as green and sustainable as possible,” explained Martha Vrist, director of Midtjyske Jernbaner.
“We knew that we were driving into a technological and partly a legislative unknown landscape. No one in Denmark has done it before. But because we are small, we are also flexible, and we have been able to handle the development of battery trains and charging facilities together with several good partners, both new and old. We believe our project is the future, and we look forward to the new battery trains coming to West Jutland,” Vrist added.