H2 Green and Eversholt Rail to bring hydrogen supply to UK rail

H2 Green has reached an agreement with Eversholt Rail, to develop hydrogen supply solutions for the UK railway.

H2 Green and Eversholt Rail will collaborate to determine the necessary production and refueling infrastructure to support the widespread deployment of hydrogen-powered rolling stock fleets. The goal is to provide low-cost, dependable green hydrogen made from water electrolysis using renewable energy sources.

Eversholt Rail recognizes the advantages that hydrogen-powered trains will provide and has a long-standing partnership with Alstom, a leading rolling stock manufacturer. Alstom developed and introduced the Coradia iLint, the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell train, into passenger service in Lower Saxony, Germany, in 2018.

This agreement will serve as a catalyst for the UK railway’s rapid adoption of hydrogen rolling stock.

H2 Green is building a network of large-scale production hubs across the UK to ensure supply security. H2 Green is ideally positioned to provide train operators with a guaranteed supply of green hydrogen wherever they need it, thanks to strategic land assets on the UK rail network and a focus on driving down costs through economies of scale in the design process. The high-volume offtake required by rail fleets will lay the groundwork for hydrogen production hubs that can also service road vehicles.

Luke Johnson, Managing Director of H2 Green, said:

“Supplying regional rail lines with clean, green hydrogen to power their fuel cell electric trains is a logical step in the decarbonisation of transport. Rail holds an iconic historical position, in the last great industrial revolution and will be central to the next: moving to a green circular economy. Working with Eversholt Rail helps us accurately design our hydrogen production hubs to service the real-world needs of the railway, ensuring we can provide commercially-viable production facilities that offer customers the high level of reliability they expect from the rail system.”

Tim Burleigh, Head of External Relations for Eversholt Rail, said:

“Successful introduction of hydrogen-powered trains requires a whole-system approach. Train service sponsors and operators must be confident that the arrangements for hydrogen fuel provision are robust, cost-effective and sustainable. Our work with H2 Green will ensure our readiness for fleet deployments in the areas of the rail network where hydrogen trains are best suited to operate, whilst also creating wider transport decarbonisation opportunities.”