Talgo chooses Extremadura to present its innovative hydrogen propulsion system

 press release

• It will be the first prototype in Spain

• Hydrogen technology is an emission-free alternative for non-electrified lines, where diesel trains are now operating

• The system has been presented in Don Benido, Badajoz, within the framework of the SOI H2 Conference, on the possibilities that hydrogen technologies present in the Southwest of the Iberian Peninsula (SoI)

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Hydrogen-powered trains

This innovative system uses hydrogen batteries that provide the energy for the train's electric motors. It is powered by renewable energy sources, such as solar photovoltaic or wind, which produce hydrogen that is stored and then used to power fuel cell-based propulsion systems, such as the one designed by Talgo.  The system is complemented by batteries that increase the speed of the train when it starts, taking advantage of the braking system to recharge it.

Unlike the extended battery systems in the automotive industry, hydrogen (H2) technology is the logical answer to the needs of heavy transport and, in particular, of those railway lines that do not have catenary electrification systems, and which today depend on trains powered by diesel engines. The hydrogen system designed by Talgo enables conventional network lines to be "electrified" without the need for costly and lengthy adaptation operations, and without the use of fossil fuels.

 

 

Green Extremadura

Spain's leading high-speed train manufacturer has selected Extremadura as part of a broader strategy that recognizes the efforts of Extremadura's civil society, business and regional public administrations to innovate and accelerate a transition to completely decarbonized transport networks.

The choice of Extremadura has to do not only with the type of existing infrastructure but also with the fact that it is one of the Spanish regions that have expressed a more decisive commitment to the creation and regeneration of industrial networks based on the local production of hydrogen. 

 

 

About Talgo

Talgo S.A., is the leading company in the design, manufacture and maintenance of high-speed light trains with industrial presence in seven countries: Spain, Germany, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the United States. The company is recognized worldwide for its innovative capacity, unique and distinctive technology and reliability. Talgo is the train supplier for the "Haramain" high-speed railway project between Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia, and counts the German, American and Russian railway administrations among its customers. 

 

 

About the SOI H2 Project

The SOI H2 Project is a transversal initiative driven by both the public and private sectors to make the Hydrogen industry a vector of socio-economic development in the Southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. This project has the direct support of LLOABRE, ADRAL and Fundecyt- PCTEX (Junta de Extremadura), which estimates at 50,000 the number of jobs that could be created in the Euroregion ALEX (Alentejo + Extremadura).