SPAIN: A group of Spanish companies has been awarded funding for the Hympulso project to power a Talgo 250 gauge-changing high speed trainset using renewable hydrogen.
Talgo Class 730 electro-diesel trainsets used by national operator RENFE have a power car behind each driving car containing a diesel engine for use on non-electrified lines. The Hympulso project will replace one of these diesel power cars with a vehicle containing fuel cells and batteries.
Overhead electrification will be used where available for traction and to charge the battery, with hydrogen and battery power used on non-electrified lines.
The Hympulso project covers the entire renewable hydrogen value chain from generation to consumption. This will enable the participants to assess the impact of hydrogen across the full railway system, including track and maintenance facilities.
Announcing the project on January 23, project leader Talgo said this holistic perspective would be the key to addressing technical challenges to the adoption of renewable hydrogen in the rail sector.
Ingeteam will provide reversible high-power converters capable of charging the batteries from the overhead electrification. Repsol will develop a mobile refuelling facility, and Golendus a fixed hydrogen production and supply facility. Sener will carry out risk analysis and a simulate operations. Optimus3D will work on new materials and processes for hydrogen applications.
Universidad Pontificia Comillas and Tecnalia are also collaborating with the project.
Infrastructure manager ADIF is acting as an observer of the project, and aims to develop a better understanding of the requirements, interfaces and use cases for hydrogen.
The project is being backed with a €6·5m grant from the national government’s Strategic Projects for Economic Recovery & Transformation (PERTES) programme.
