Hydrogen-Powered Fuel Cell Trains Can Make Rail Travel Sustainable

India is set to unveil its first hydrogen-powered train this year, which will generate its own electricity using hydrogen, eliminating the need for overhead wires along railway tracks.

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Fuel cells, which combine pure hydrogen with oxygen to produce electricity and water, were first used on spaceships in the 1960s, but have since found various other applications on Earth.

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Europe has taken the lead in fuel cell trains, with Germany rolling out a French-built train in 2018 and Lower Saxony adding five more since then.

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Fuel cell trains carry hydrogen in rooftop tanks and take oxygen from the air to produce electricity in their fuel cells, which is stored in batteries to power the motors.

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France has also ordered dual-mode hydrogen trains that can run on catenary power where available.

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German firm Siemens' hydrogen trains have a range of 600 km and a top speed of 160 kmph.

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The use of hydrogen-powered trains represents a significant step towards sustainable transportation, with the potential to greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the railway industry.

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