Alstom and ENGIE team up to deliver green tech for Europe’s freight services

Alstom and ENGIE have signed a partnership agreement to deliver decarbonisation solutions to the rail freight sector in Europe.

Using their combined knowhow, they will offer hydrogen alternatives to diesel-powered locomotives working in mainline operations.

Alstom is designing the hydrogen solution that is based on a high-power fuel cell system that can power electric locomotives on non-electrified sections. Meanwhile, ENGIE will supply the renewable hydrogen through its deployment of its supply chain.

Alstom says this partnership will provide a low-carbon, zero-emission solution in response to climate, environmental and public health issues, including on non-electrified branch lines and sidings.

Raphaël Bernardelli, vice president of corporate strategy, Alstom, said: “Our ambition is to accelerate the adoption of hydrogen power in the rail industry by developing innovative solutions that help green heavy-duty mobility operations like rail freight. In order to help drive the evolution of the hydrogen rail sector, we need to gather stakeholders, and this is exactly why we have decided to partner with ENGIE”.

For Alstom, this partnership is in line with its strategic plan ‘Alstom in Motion 2025’ as well as its hydrogen strategy initiated in 2013 with the development of the Coradia iLint train and pursued with the acquisition of fuel cell manufacturer Helion Hydrogen Power in 2021.

Meanwhile, for ENGIE, this partnership aligns with its aim to supply heavy-duty mobility markets with renewable hydrogen, thanks to its target production capacity of 4 GW by 2030.

Sébastien Arbola, executive vice president in charge of Thermal Generation, Hydrogen & Energy Supply, ENGIE, said: “After successfully supplying the Coradia iLint during tests in the Netherlands in 2020, we are delighted to continue our efforts with Alstom in decarbonising heavy-duty mobility by combining our respective expertise to serve European rail freight. This partnership marks a new step in the development of decarbonated hydrogen solutions to answer to the strong demand of this growing market.”

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