Zero Emission Trains

[ScouseAndy]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/germany-unveils-zero-emissions-train-only-emits-steam-lower-saxony-hydrogen-powered-a7391581.html

Germany to launch zero emission hydrogen powered trains as early as late 2017, with an initial order of 14 such trains for regional services with further orders promised if successful

 

[jis]

I presume the energy needed to manufacture the Hydrogen is supplied from zero emission resources to make the whole venture truly zero emission?

The thing about huge cloud when Shuttle launches being steam is a bit of an overstatement since at the point of launch the bigger proportion of thrust is provided by the two solid rocket boosters which produce more of an aluminum Oxide sort of thing than steam.

 

[ScouseAndy]

I presume the energy needed to manufacture the Hydrogen is supplied from zero emission resources to make the whole venture truly zero emission?

The thing about huge cloud when Shuttle launches being steam is a bit of an overstatement since at the point of launch the bigger proportion of thrust is provided by the two solid rocket boosters which produce more of an aluminum Oxide sort of thing than steam.

sshhhh don't let such things as facts ruin a good media story Jis :giggle:

 

[MARC Rider]

The article says this:

"The iLint is powered by huge lithium ion batteries, and these get their energy from a hydrogen fuel tank on the roof of the train."\

How do batteries "get their energy" from a tank of hydrogen fuel? The only thing I can thing of is that they have fuel cells making electricity. But then why do they need batteries?

If fuel cells are really becoming practical for locomotive applications, maybe there's a route for more extensive rail electrification without the expense of catenary. Of course, as jis points out, you need to have some way to make the hydrogen without significant emissions. Most hydrogen is now made by steam reforming from hydrocarbons, so there are greenhouse gas emissions (CO2). Electrolysis from water under current technology takes more energy than you get from the hydrogen. Plus, if the electricity is generated from fossil fuels, you still have emissions.

Maybe it would be more practical to just have battery powered trains, assuming that battery technology is improving to the point that a charge could power the train for the entire trip and charging technology is improving to the point that they could get recharged pretty quickly. (I heard a talk at an industry conference a few years ago about a battery-powered transit bus that could be inductively recharged in about 10 minutes.)