The State Secretary of the Hessian Ministry of Economics and Transport Jens Deutschendorf has inaugurated the construction works of Hesse first hydrogen filling station.
The ceremony was held at Industriepark Höchst where Rhine-Main Transport Association (RMV), Alstom and Infraserv Höchst, the industrial park operator, are involves in the construction of this second worldwide hydrogen station for passenger trains that will be able to use it from December 2022.
Under the project, Alstom will supply the fuel cell trains that RMV will use, while Infraserv Höchst is building and operating the filling station.
“Hesse is a pacemaker on the way to climate- and environmentally friendly mobility, as the Taunusnetz project also demonstrates. In 2022, pollutant-free fuel cell trains will replace the old diesel vehicles there – an electric operation without overhead lines, which could also be an interesting alternative for other regions. I would like to thank RMV and Industriepark Höchst for their courage in realizing this innovative project,” the State Secretary Deutschendorf said.
In 2019, Alstom signed a contract for the delivery of 27 hydrogen trains to Fahma, a subsidiary of RMV. The contract also includes the supply of hydrogen and maintenance services for 25 years. Under the contract, Alstom and Infraserv Höchst cooperate to build Hesse first hydrogen filling station. The total order volume is EUR 500 million.
“With Alstom’s fuel cell trains, we are opening up a new chapter of emission-free mobility at RMV,” said RMV-Managing Director Knut Ringat at the ground-breaking ceremony.
Alstom’s Coradia iLint hydrogen trains, which thanks to a range of up to 1,000 kilometers can travel an entire day on RMV’s network. They will replace the diesel-powered locomotives ordered by RMV’s subsidiary fahma on the lines.
The fuel cell trains will operate on the RB 11 line, between Frankfurt, Höchst and Bad Soden, on RB12 connecting Frankfurt and Königstein, RB15 on the Frankfurt – Bad Homburg – Brandoberndorf route and on RB16 linking Friedrichsdorf and Friedberg. The world’s first passenger train powered by a hydrogen fuel cell runs completely emission-free, is quiet and emits only water vapor and condensation.
In July 2020, Alstom inaugurated the construction works for Bremervoerde hydrogen station.
Infraserv Höchst, the operating company of the 4.6 square kilometer Industriepark Höchst, has been active in hydrogen and fuel cell technology for many years and in 2006 has opened the first hydrogen filling station for cars.
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