(Dublin / Ireland) – The Irish state railway Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) wants to test a locomotive that has been retrofitted to run on hydrogen. The Latvian company DiGas, which specializes in dual-fuel technology, is carrying out the conversion. According to the company's own information, a number of rail vehicles in other countries have already been converted, but primarily to natural gas (CNG) and liquid petroleum gas (LNG).
After the conversion, the locomotive uses hydrogen instead of diesel. A special fuel cell drive is not required. © DiGas
As part of the agreement, Iarnród Éireann will provide a Class 071 diesel locomotive, as well as the workshop for installation, testing and commissioning. The retrofitting is not done with a specially manufactured fuel cell drive, but with a hydrogen system with an internal combustion engine (ICE), says DiGas. This technology requires “only minimal changes to the locomotive.” It could then be operated with renewable, zero-emission fuel instead of diesel fuel. The hydrogen refueling for the retrofitted locomotive will be provided by project partners. There is no information about the origin of the electricity for electrolysis.
According to the current planning phase, two test phases are planned in 2024 and 2025. First there are static tests to check the performance and emissions, followed by the practical test on the rails. All designs and test standards must be approved by the Commission for Railway Regulation (CRR).
Twelve locomotives could be converted
“Iarnród Éireann has 18 Class 071 diesel locomotives in service, twelve of which are used for freight transport. If the tests are successful, these locomotives can be upgraded to greener and more efficient alternatives,” says Jim Meade, Managing Director of Iarnród Éireann.
The project, worth €1,5 million, is being financed by Iarnród Éireann and DiGas. Also involved are EIT Urban Mobility, an institution of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, and the Latvian Mechanical Engineering Competence Center, an institution that receives funding from the European Recovery and Resilience Facility.
Photos
Irish Rail timber transport with a class 071 locomotive. © larnród Éireann
