(Zaragoza, Spain) – Spanish rail vehicle manufacturer CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles) has received its first delivery of green hydrogen from Spanish energy company Iberdrola SA. The hydrogen was produced at Iberdrola's hydrogen plant in the Zona Franca district of Barcelona, on the country's southeast coast, which began operating in early 2022. This shipment served as the final test for supplying a hydrogen-powered demonstration train in Zaragoza, a good three-hour drive away. A refueling station was installed for the process. The companies stated that this marked the "successful completion" of the FCH2Rail project.
As part of the Green Mobility PLAZA project, a hydrogen plant and a filling station for road and rail vehicles are to be built in Zaragoza. A 180-kilowatt fast-charging station for electric vehicles is also planned. Negotiations are currently underway for suitable properties.
In addition to the plant in Barcelona, which went into operation in January, Iberdrola had already inaugurated the largest plant for the production of green hydrogen for industrial purposes in Europe in Puertollano (Ciudad Real) in May. The 20-megawatt electrolyzer, with an annual capacity of 3.000 tons, is powered by electricity from a 100-megawatt solar power plant. Customers include an ammonia plant belonging to Spain's largest fertilizer producer, Fertiberia, which is thus reducing its natural gas consumption by ten percent.
In February of this year, Iberdrola and CAF announced a partnership to promote the use of green hydrogen in the railway sector. The alliance aims to find environmentally friendly solutions for lines operated with diesel locomotives without installing overhead lines or making other major structural changes to the tracks.
Photos
Fuel station for CAF test train with hydrogen drive in Zaragoza. © Iberdrola SA
Excellent. This is how the energy transition is progressing