PKP Group, PKN ORLEN and PESA are going to collaborate with the aim of introducing hydrogen technologies in the railway transport. Today they reached an agreement.

During the conference ”Time for hydrogen energy” that was organized in Warsaw by Klaster Luxtorpeda 2.0, PKP, PKN Orlen and PESA they have announced signing the agreement about the cooperation on introducing hydrogen fueled rail vehicles in the railway transport. These companies want to together lead research-development projects and activity that aims towards use of hydrogen in vehicles to fuel their travel on tracks.

The development of hydrogen technologies in Poland have rapidly increased its speed. That requires a cooperation of multiple factors, introduction of sytem solutions, and even solving some administrative-legislative problems. Realization of hydrogen projects extends the typical standard of building the rail vehicle. Apart from delivering vehicles with hydrogen fuel cells the other thing that needs to be fulfilled is the possibility of filling tanks for such vehicles.

Signed agreements confirm the intent of cooperation between PKP S.A, PKN Orlen S.A and PESA S.A, this cooperation is going to target the promotion of development of the railway transport based on hydrogen and mutual support of activity that heads towards implementation of hydrogen technology in the railway market.

• Introduction of hydrogen technologies might play the key role in acceleration of development of such technologies in Poland, it’s going to lower the level of CO2 emission in transport in a meaningful way. That will help to reach markers for climate aims brought by the European Union. PKP Group is aware of the role that it might play in this process. That’s where our decision on starting cooperation with PKN Orlen and PESA came from, as those are the companies that already started the work on implementation of hydrogen driven rolling stocks as well as made plans on preparation of infrastructure that will allow to fill tanks of vehicles with hydrogen. Railway transport characterizes with great predictability, already developed planning departments, and with restrictive rules of driving trains. Railway transport can because of all these things, and even should get involved in works on wide use of alternative fuels – Rafał Zgorzelski, member of the board for Polish National Railways (PKP S.A) commented with these words. 

The key thing for producers of the rolling stock and for carries is guaranteeing hydrogen as a fuel. Meaning the creation of hydrogen fuel stations themselves, the satisfying class of purity of hydrogen, and logistics of transporting it from hubs to fueling stations. 

• The railway sector as well as its hydrogenation is a very attractive goal for PKN Orlen, also from the perspective of lowering the emission of CO2 and protection of the natural environment. We want to develop this field in collaboration with PKP and PESA, because it will help us to further investigate technologic challenges we will have to face in this process. In the strategy ORLEN2030 we put a great impact on the development of alternative fuels, as it’s the future of motorization. In the perspective of the upcoming decade we are going to strengthen the position of regional leader of hydrogen fuels which will bring measurable financial benefits – says Daniel Obajtek, CEO of PKN ORLEN. 
• Today’s agreement opens a way for the wide use of hydrogen technologies which is the technology of the future. We see a huge potential in hydrogenation of a railway transport and we hope that this started collaboration is going to start a revolution in this sphere, and we alongside our partners are going to be pioneers of this technology – underlines Józef Węgrecki , a member of the board specialized in operational processes in PKN Orlen.

The first rolling stock producer that began works on hydrogen fuel cells is PESA. The company since almost two years is working on maneuver locomotive fueled exclusively with hydrogen energy. 

• Hydrogen driven locomotive is going to be presented during the TRAKO fair. Its use is planned to start in the next year. Simultaneously we are working on the passenger vehicle powered with both traction and hydrogen fuel cells  and also on vehicles using batteries as a power source. Low-emission rail vehicles are on of the key points of PESA approved strategy 2025+ – says Jacek Konop vice-president of technics in PESA S.A

Inside rolling stocks plans sent to Polish Development Fund and to New Polish Order there’s over 100 passenger railway vehicles that use a hydrogen drive. The realization of these sales and introduction of vehicles for use requires a preparation of appropriate infrastructure for filling tanks and  a creation of the chain of supply for hydrogen. The answer to this challange is precisely the cooperation between PKP S.A, PKN ORLEN and PESA S.A, which aims for working through solutions that enable introduction of hydrogen fueled vehicles to Polish rail tracks system in a quickest possible way.