Deutsche Bahn to transport hydrogen by rail

DB Cargo, a unit of German railway operator Deutsche Bahn AG, has developed a solution to transport large quantities of hydrogen by rail in a bid to offer an alternative to pipelines that are yet to be built.

The solution, developed in cooperation with energy suppliers, is aimed at transporting hydrogen from Germany's ports to industrial customers in the hinterland, thus creating a secure supply chain for the German economy, Deutsche Bahn said in a statement.

Under DB Cargo's plan, the hydrogen, which is imported to Germany by seagoing vessels as a liquid, will be left in this form and transported by tank wagons that are already widely used in the chemical industry. When the hydrogen bound in liquids reaches the industrial off-takers, it will be separated and used as an energy source.

Hydrogen will play an important role in the future energy mix and there are currently many new initiatives on how green hydrogen can be transported to Germany by sea, says DB Cargo's head Sigrid Nikutta. The German government estimates that the demand for hydrogen in the country will reach about 100 TWh annually by the end of this decade.

Additionally, DB Cargo is also working on the development of hydrogen containers and testing clean hydrogen logistics. This solution will be applied in cases of small-scale distribution of hydrogen to decentralised customers such as hydrogen filling stations.

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