H2 Green, Eversholt to develop hydrogen supply for UK trains

Renewable hydrogen developer H2 Green has signed a memorandum of understanding with rolling stock owner Eversholt Rail to develop hydrogen production and refueling infrastructure for UK trains, the company said July 6.

The two companies will initially work to determine the production and refueling infrastructure needed for a wide-scale deployment of hydrogen-powered trains, H2 Green parent company Getech said in a statement.

The project targets hydrogen-fueled trains on lines where electrification is not viable.

"For rail companies operating in remote locations, there is a compelling economic and business rationale to be both early adopters and large volume customers of green hydrogen," Getech CEO Jonathan Copus said.

"The focus of the partnership is to provide low-cost and reliable green hydrogen for trains, a prerequisite for the deployment of fleets on routes where electrification is not technically or economically viable," Getech said in the statement. "In Scotland, these routes initially include the Far North and West Highland Lines."

The companies aim to develop commercial proposals for supplying trains with hydrogen, to present to transport operators, infrastructure companies and government.

"Hydrogen has been designated a strategic fuel by the UK Government and it is set to play a key role in the decarbonization of commercial transport," Copus said.

"Getech is working to accelerate hydrogen adoption by using our location analytics to identify optimal sites to develop hydrogen production, storage, and refueling networks," he added.

Eversholt Rail has a rolling stock portfolio of over 3,200 passenger and freight vehicles.

H2 Green has an exclusive option to redevelop redundant gas infrastructure assets owned by SGN Commercial Services in Scotland and southern England for hydrogen distribution around the UK.

It is developing a network of large-scale production hubs across the UK.

"With strategic land assets on the UK rail network and a focus on driving down costs through economies of scale in the design process, H2 Green is ideally positioned to provide train operators with a guaranteed supply of green hydrogen wherever it is needed," Getech said.

"The high-volume offtake that rail fleets require will set a cornerstone for hydrogen production hubs, capable of servicing road vehicles as well," it said.

Getech is a geoscience and geospatial technology company focused on energy transition projects, and bought H2 Green in March.

S&P Global Platts assessed the cost of producing hydrogen via alkaline electrolysis in the UK (including capex) at GBP5.40/kg ($7.48/kg) July 5. PEM electrolysis production was assessed at GBP6.62/kg, while blue hydrogen production by autothermal reforming was GBP2.23/kg (including capex, CCS and carbon).