Siemens Energy and Siemens Mobility signed a Memorandum of Understating to jointly develop hydrogen systems and solutions for railway transport. The new products will be offered to the customers to promote the hydrogen economy in Germany and Europe and support the decarbonisation in the mobility sector.
The agreement was signed by Albrecht Neumann, CEO of Rolling Stock at Siemens Mobility and Armin Schnettler, Executive Vice President of New Energy Business at Siemens Energy.
“The decarbonisation of energy systems is a central goal of Siemens Energy. So-called sector coupling plays a key role here, interconnecting previously separate energy-relevant sectors such as electricity and heat generation or mobility. This can be achieved – completely CO2-free – with the electrolysis of water using electricity produced from renewable energy sources,” Armin Schnettler said.
The two companies will develop among other, an electrolysis and fueling solution for the fast fueling of hydrogen-powered trains. Siemens Energy and Siemens Mobility plan to jointly develop a standardized hydrogen infrastructure solution for fueling the hydrogen-powered trains of Siemens Mobility and later expand the solution in pilot projects and specific customer projects.
Siemens Energy markets the systems and solutions needed for the generation and provision of green hydrogen, while Siemens Mobility focuses on rail transport solutions, including the required train maintenance and depot equipment.
As Siemens Energy and Siemens Mobility will work together, they will offer rail customers complete hydrogen systems which will support customer the acceptance of hydrogen power in the transport market, and will promote the establishment of a sustainable hydrogen economy in Germany.
“Our cooperation with Siemens Energy paves the way for sustainable and climate-friendly mobility. This way, we can support our customers in replacing their diesel-powered trains operating on non-electrified rail lines with emission-free hydrogen-powered trains over the longer term. Together with Siemens Energy, we can even offer hydrogen as a ‘hydrogen as a service’ model for a train’s service life,” Albrecht Neumann of Siemens Mobility said.
In the next two decades, Europe will replace thousands of diesel-electric multiple-unit trains with more environmentally friendly alternatives. Diesel-powered trainsets are still in service today on non-electrified rail routes. In Germany, for example, these routes account for around 50 percent of the country’s entire rail network. Environmentally friendly battery and hydrogen drives are to be used as a replacement for the diesel units.
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