DB Cargo plans to transport hydrogen by rail in Germany

DB Cargo has announced plans to develop a cost-effective and energy-efficient solution for transporting large volumes of hydrogen throughout Germany, writes Railway Supply magazine, citing Global Railway Review.

DB Cargo has announced plans to carry the required hydrogen on freight trains in the future. This hydrogen transport concept will be an energy efficient alternative to using pipelines.

Hydrogen will play an important role in the future of German energy. The federal government estimates that by 2030, the need for hydrogen will be about 100 terawatt-hours per year. For comparison, the total electricity consumption in Germany is about 580 terawatt-hours per year.

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“There are currently many new initiatives to efficiently bring green hydrogen into Germany,” said Dr. Sigrid Nikutta, Head of DB Cargo AG and Member of the Management Board for Freight at DB Group. “We have developed a solution that easily and efficiently delivers hydrogen from ports to inland consumers. The German rail network is an ecological network with more than 35,000 kilometers of routes. DB Cargo alone serves over 2100 interfaces, customer connections, terminals and internal ports. Green hydrogen needs green logistics and we can already offer that.”

The hydrogen imported into Germany is mostly in liquid form, which means that it can be easily and efficiently transported by sea. In cooperation with energy suppliers, DB Cargo has developed a concept for transporting it to recipients who are located far from seaports. Hydrogen remains in a liquid state, which means that conventional tank cars can be used for rail freight.

DB Cargo is involved in a wide range of hydrogen logistics solutions, such as the development of innovative hydrogen containers and pure hydrogen logistics testing. DB Cargo is also organizing the delivery of hydrogen trains from DB Regio, which are currently being tested on various lines in practical operation.

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