- ABB traction systems drive first hydrogen-powered train in the US
- FLIRT H2 train sets record for longest hydrogen-powered passenger train journey without refueling or recharging
- ABB and Green Hydrogen International (GHI) are collaborating on the Hydrogen City project in Texas, highlighting hydrogen's potential as a clean fuel source
The benefits of hydrogen as a clean fuel source are well documented: when used in a fuel cell, for example, it can power cars, trains or homes, while emitting only water*.
Its use as an alternative fuel source in the US rail industry, which still relies heavily on diesel-powered locomotives has come into focus after successful trials of the first hydrogen-powered train in the United States.
The FLIRT (Fast, Light Inter-city and Regional Train) H2 is a light regional train, manufactured by Stadler in Switzerland and adapted to accommodate a fuel cell, battery and hydrogen fuel supply. It is comprised of two cars, each housing six fuel cells that deliver 100 kW each.
Power from these is sent to the drivetrain, where ABB provides the traction converter, a DC/DC converter, three Bordline® ESS 28kWh battery packages, and a battery thermal management system. The fuel cell and battery combination stores enough energy to run the train for more than 285 miles daily and the traction system as a whole is designed for 25,000 operating hours of operating life.
California’s San Bernadino County Transport Authority (SBCTA) is planning to introduce the zero-emission train later this year , to service the Redlands Passenger Rail Project, a nine-mile stretch of track between the San Bernardino Transit Center and the University of Redlands in Los Angeles.
Earlier this year the FLIRT H2 set a record for the longest journey ever completed by a hydrogen train designed for passenger use, without refueling or recharging.
The record attempt, at Stadler’s test track in Colorado, ran for 46 hours, during which time the train covered 2,803km on a single tank of fuel.
FLIRT H2’s introduction highlights the opportunity for the US rail industry to reduce its reliance on fossil fuel as only around one percent of the country’s heavy rail networks are currently electrified.
DEVELOPMENT OF HYDROGEN CITY IN TEXAS
The potential of hydrogen as a clean fuel source has been underlined by ABB’s collaboration with Green Hydrogen International (GHI) on a project to develop a green hydrogen facility in Texas.
Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed earlier this year, ABB’s automation, electrification and digital technology will be assessed for deployment at GHI’s Hydrogen City project.
Hydrogen City is being established as a so-called Power-to-X (P2X) facility. P2X technology allows surplus energy generated from renewable sources, such as wind or solar, to be diverted for use in the transport or chemical production sectors, for example.
At Hydrogen City, solar and onshore wind energy is planned to power a 2.2 GW electrolyzer plant, which will produce 280,000 tons of green hydrogen per year. This will be turned into one million tons of green ammonia (an alternative fuel) annually.
Up to 24,000 tons of green hydrogen will be stored at Hydrogen City in underground salt caverns and will help balance out the intermittency of the renewable energy sources powering the operation.
ABB has completed a feasibility study to develop an electrical system architecture for GHI, which encompasses:
- Integrated Control Safety System with the distributed control system ABB Ability™ System 800xA®
- electrical motors and drives
- measurement and analytics solutions
- power and process optimization solutions.
“We are proud to collaborate with GHI on Hydrogen City, to explore how our automation, electrification and digital technology can support and scale this ambitious green hydrogen production facility. Together, we will enable efforts to decarbonize global industry and progress towards a net-zero future.”
- Brandon Spencer, President of ABB Energy Industries
“GHI is honored to be partnering with ABB on our Hydrogen City project. Their top-notch expertise in power systems architecture, automation, electrical and digital systems provides enormous advantages for this complex project and supports our goal of producing the lowest-cost green hydrogen in South Texas.”
- Brian Maxwell, CEO of GHI
*Source: US Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Related stories:
How ABB is helping to stop methane emissions from disused oil and gas wells in the USA
Meeting the challenge of decarbonization in the US maritime industry
Learn more about ABB in Hydrogen
The Process Automation Podcast "Green hydrogen" episode
