FS Italiane and Snam have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of using hydrogen in rail transport and to develop new business models.
Signed by the CEOs of Gruppo FS Italiane, Gianfranco Battisti, and of Snam, Marco Alverà, the agreement aims at implementing analyses and feasibility studies and developing joint projects on railway transport that can be converted to hydrogen on the national territory.
Under the agreement, the two companies will establish a joint working group focused on evaluating possible pilot projects involving the replacement of fossil fuels with hydrogen.
“We continue to innovate and develop safe and environmentally-friendly mobility solutions that will enable new generations to live in a more sustainable and competitive country, in accordance with a model that increasingly focuses on the people. In this sense, hydrogen rail transport is a fundamental development that can render passenger and freight journeys more environmentally-friendly on the remaining rail lines yet to be electrified,” Gianfranco Battisti said.
FS Italiane is committed to promote and develop a sustainable mobility to contribute to the European Green Deal.
The companies will experiment with innovative technological solutions related to the production, transport, compression, storage, supply and usage of hydrogen as a contribution towards the development of sustainable mobility, including by participating in joint initiatives that are subject to potential public contract tenders or funding.
“Through the collaboration between FS Italiane and Snam, we aim to construct infrastructure able to quickly convert to hydrogen all trains in Italy that are currently powered by diesel, thus taking on a role of technological leadership on which to capitalised at an international level,” Marco Alverà explained.
Any developments to introduce the hydrogen in rail transport shall be governed by the signing of suitable agreements between the parties.
To introduce hydrogen power in Italy’s railway transport, Snam and Alstom have signed an agreement in June 2020. Within the next year, the two companies will develop hydrogen-powered trains and the needed infrastructure.
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