(Bremen) – A new project is dedicated to converting shunting locomotives in the Bremen and Hamburg port areas to hydrogen operation. Six partners from industry and academia will research the prerequisites and requirements, determine the refueling conditions, and clarify safety and legal issues. According to Bremenports GmbH, Bremen's port operator, the project will ultimately result in "a concrete implementation plan." The goal is to achieve CO2-neutral operation by 2035 at the latest.
Switching locomotives in the port cannot be electrified
While rail passenger transport is already predominantly electrified and runs on green electricity, “shunting locomotives in port areas cannot be electrified by overhead lines,” according to the Bremen port authority. “Equipping the powerful shunting locomotives with batteries is disadvantageous due to their high energy requirements and is not yet possible due to the available energy density, life cycle costs and charging cycles.” Hydrogen technology is therefore interesting for shunting operations because the locomotives can be refueled with green, climate-neutral hydrogen.
The railways and transport company Elbe-Weser GmbH, the Smart Mobility Institute at the Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences, the Institute for Energy and Circular Economy at the Bremen University of Applied Sciences GmbH, the railway builder Alstom and the Bremenports are involved in the project with the somewhat unwieldy name “sH2unter@ports”. GmbH & Co. KG and the Hamburg Port Authority AöR are involved.
The results of the investigations should be transferable to other ports and shunting operations. The research and development project initially runs until May 31, 2024 and is funded with 1,2 million euros by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport as part of the National Innovation Program for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology.
Photos
According to the information, the ports of Bremen have a rail infrastructure with a total track length of 200 kilometers. With train stations in Bremerhaven, Bremen Grolland and Bremen Inlandshafen, the Bremen Harbor Railway forms an interface between transshipment terminals and the hinterland. © Bremenports GmbH & Co. KG
