After more than six months of operation, the Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn railway company has reported positive results for the Mireo Plus H train, which draws its energy for electric propulsion from hydrogen fuel cells. The first implementation phase of the project ‘Use of hydrogen fuel cell drives in local transport in the Barnim district’ (‘Einsatz von Wasserstoff-Brennstoffzellenantriebe im Nahverkehr des Landkreises Barnim’) has been successfully completed. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) with around 25 million euros as part of the National Innovation Programme Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology. The funding guidelines are coordinated by NOW GmbH and implemented by Project Management Jülich (PtJ). At the core of the project is the development of a regional, sustainable hydrogen infrastructure: from the production of green hydrogen using locally generated electricity from wind and solar energy to its consumption by regional companies. Kreiswerke Barnim is responsible for project coordination and the construction of the refuelling station. The hydrogen plant is being constructed by Enertrag in the vicinity of the railway line. The project is being scientifically supported by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) and the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg. The use of hydrogen trains on the Heidekrautbahn will save 1.1 million litres of diesel fuel per year, which corresponds to a CO2 reduction of three million kilograms per year.
The ‘Heidekrautbahn Hydrogen Railway’ is creating important foundations for the future use of hydrogen technologies in local railway passenger transport and is contributing to climate-friendly mobility in Germany.
Further information (in German) can be found here: Heidekrautbahn Hydrogen Rail
Photo: Press event, from left to right: S. Achtermann (Managing Director of Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn), C. Heuing, Minister D. Tabbert, Minister Crumbach, State Secretary A. Herz | Image credits: S. Reichard, Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn
