Skip to content

Zero Emission Train Project

As part of its bold decarbonisation ambitions, the Scottish Government has set a target date to decarbonise passenger rail transport by 2035.  A demonstration project is led by Transport Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and the Hydrogen Accelerator for the development of a 3-car class 314 train being converted to a hydrogen fuel cell electric powertrain.  This is an ambitious project, in its second phase, which will be carried out by an industrial consortium led by Arcola Energy in partnership with Arup, Abbott Risk Consulting, AEGIS and Angel Trains.  The project will involve full system design, installation and demonstration of the train and will be showcased on the heritage Bo’ness & Kinneil railway during the prestigious COP26 (26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties) hosted by Glasgow from 1st to 12th November 2021.

 

The role of the Hydrogen Accelerator in this pioneering zero emission train project is not only to assist the development of decarbonisation technologies, but also to support the growth of the rail supply chain and innovation in this sector.  Using a class 314 will demonstrate the refurbishment of rolling stock.  This project will allow integration of alternative traction power supply equipment to be utilised within the train which must operate to current railway regulations and safety standards.  The innovative technology developed in this project will be transferable to other obsolete and in-service passenger trains, thereby assisting the decarbonisation of Scotland’s rail sector and most importantly, providing commuters with greener, cleaner trains.  Read more in our article featured in the Rail Technology Magazine

 

Interviews from Transport Secretary Michael Matheson and  Ben Todd, Arcola Energy can be found at The Scottish Enterprise Media Centre as part of the full press release.