Ricardo has received funding from the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) for two rail-related transportation innovation projects.
Ricardo will compare battery and hydrogen trains, as well as look into possible energy efficiency measures around train stations, with the help of partners.
Together with Scottish Power, Network Rail, and the University of Leeds, Ricardo was able to secure funding. The team will compare battery and hydrogen trains for future introduction on rural Scottish railway lines as part of the Holistic Hydrogen Approach to Heavy Duty Transport (H2H) study. The findings will be used to create a feasibility study and, possibly, a demonstration project.
The second project, titled “The resilient and flexible railway multi-energy hub networks for integrated green mobility,” will investigate various methods for increasing energy efficiency around UK train stations. To that end, the team will investigate the feasibility of harnessing the electricity generated by electric cars parked in station parking lots to create a multi-energy hub that integrates energy from the station, rail traction systems, and the power grid.
It’s unclear how much money Ricardo and its partners were able to secure for the two projects. Through 2026, the SIF will invest 450 million pounds (544 million euros) in such projects.
