German hydrogen train [image credit: Euractiv]
Being known as the misery line didn’t help the case for hydrogen trains, with a third of the train drivers resigning amid various operational difficulties. One German state estimated hydrogen trains would be 80% more expensive to run than electric over a 30-year period.
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The state-owned public transport company responsible for introducing the world’s first hydrogen-only railway line last year has effectively ruled out using any more H2 trains, saying that battery-electric models “are cheaper to operate”, reports Hydrogen Insight.
LNVG, which is owned by the government of Lower Saxony, had invested more than €93m ($85m) in 14 hydrogen fuel-cell trains, which began operating in August 2022.
The federal government also contributed a further €8.4m — €4.3m of which was spent on the world’s first H2 train refuelling station, built by Linde in the town of Bremervörde.
Two Alstom Coradia iLint hydrogen trains had been tested on the line — between Cuxhaven and Buxtehude — since 2018, when they became the first ever H2 trains put into commercial operation.
However, the Lower Saxony government has now announced that it will replace the remainder of its diesel trains by 2037, not with any hydrogen models, but with 102 battery-electric “multiple units” — a tender for which will be held this year — and a further 27 non-battery electric trains on one particular route that will be completely electrified (Osnabrück – Oldenburg).
The state’s Ministry for Economic Affairs, Transport, Building and Digitisation explains that battery trains can be powered by overhead electricity lines (ie, catenary systems), or be charged by what it calls “charging islands” — and can operate without constant contact with the overhead cables.
“The basis for the purchase of the new battery-powered is market research into alternative drives, which LNVG carried out,” the ministry said in a statement. “In particular, trains with hydrogen drives and batteries were considered. Result: battery trains are cheaper to operate.”
Full report here.
Tallbloke's Talkshop 
This is ominous if taken at face value – are we to assume German rail firms don’t suffer the inefficiencies which dog the UK rattlers and that their projections are both unbiased and accurate?
There still appears to be a lot of Hydrogenous research in the UK for the road freight industry. I don’t see that costs of all kinds would be that different from this German example, except that each unit of transport is smaller and costs/prices will be kept lean by competitive factors.
This doesn’t bode at all well for any future UK H2 powered freight transport.
Well, as an example, Mr JCB has been hard at work promoting his Hydrogen engines… but so do many of the other CE Manufacturers https://www.dieselprogress.com/Hydrogen/10000022.category BIG QUESTION: Whose money are they spending? and the Customer will always pay.
Source of the hydrogen…
about 50% of electricity comes from renewable energy sources. The price being paid by RMV for this hydrogen is “well below market price currently quoted elsewhere”.
https://www.hydrogeninsight.com/transport/the-misery-line-world-s-largest-hydrogen-train-fleet-still-not-fully-operational-six-months-after-service-began/2-1-1462885
Maybe so, but adding layers of complexity like H2 production and refuelling stations means extra costs. Electric trains are already widespread, so adding batteries to cope with tunnels and/or non-electrified sections of line isn’t such a big change.
See — https://www.hydrogeninsight.com/transport/will-no-longer-be-considered-hydrogen-trains-up-to-80-more-expensive-than-electric-options-german-state-finds/2-1-1338438
With such a racket all customers pay twice, once on the Federal ledger and again at the counter. And everybody pays once whether they ride or not. Very efficient and cost effective–har.
….But but but, … and all we ever heard in the past was that all ICE and ECE ( Steam engines) were just sooooo inefficient – Don’t ARGUE! … but what about efficiency of the Hydrogen fuelled ICE ? If they were talking about Hydrogen CELLS for EVs, that’s something else. But WATER VAPOUR is a bigger glasshouse gas than “CARBON” . .. Ohhhh! those idiots EVERYWHERE – NET ZERO All in agreement from just about every quarter that we need to reduce CO2 emissions …. Daft!
Haha! O/T but on News this now … Brighton Railway connections cancelled due to strikes = LOST ££££Millions ??? That’s right, give up your car and nogo by rail. Better still don’t be proud. ( Pride B4 a fall )
[…] Posted on August 6, 2023 by HiFast End of the line: first adopter of hydrogen trains last year opts for all-electric future […]
Will this comment fit in here? Siemens Energy ( Loses Billions) meldet Millardenverlust ( Problem with Windpower won’t let go… Daughter Firm Gamesa is in the Red , further than ever before ) Die Probleme mit der Windkraft lassen nicht nach. Die Windkrafttochter Gamesa hat den Energietechnik-Konzern so tief wie noch nie in die roten Zahlen gezogen. read more around https://www.agrarzeitung.de/nachrichten/wirtschaft/erneuerbare-energien-siemens-energy-meldet-millardenverlust-108249
Somebody got their sums wrong somewhere to make heavy losses in what’s supposedly a guaranteed profits business.
Siemens Energy: Earnings Release Q3 FY 2023: Serious ramp-up challenges in the wind business overshadow excellent performance in conventional energy business
Siemens Energy reported a Net loss of €2,931m (Q3 FY 2022: Net loss €564m), including negative tax effects from valuation allowances on deferred tax assets in connection with the charges at Siemens Gamesa.
https://press.siemens-energy.com/global/en/pressrelease/earnings-release-q3-fy-2023
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They could make replacement trains for the hydrogen rejects 😉