The world's first trains powered by green hydrogen, produced from renewable energy sources, will travel in Sardinia. These trains are designed for narrow-gauge railway lines, such as the Trenino Verde tourist line.
The Mandas power plant (Cagliari), the most advanced of three planned on the island, is almost ready for operation. "The inauguration date, expected between November and December, will be announced on October 3rd in Mandas," said Mayor Umberto Oppus and Salvatore Perra , deputy director of ARST, the regional public transport company, on the sidelines of the presentation of the 18th edition of the DH Lawrence International Travel Literature Festival, which begins September 25th.
The hydrogen will be produced using energy from a photovoltaic system built next to the power plant , on the outskirts of town. Following testing, the plants in Macomer and Alghero will also be ready by the end of the year, according to ARST's forecasts, also to meet the reporting deadlines for the NRRP funds that partially finance them.
The total investment amounts to 75 million euros, of which 30 million for Mandas, another 30 for Macomer, and 15 for Alghero. With a 136 million euro loan, ARST will purchase ten hydrogen trains from the Swiss group Stadler Rail.
The first is already in the testing phase and could enter service within a year: it is currently being presented as a world premiere in Berlin. Because it is an innovative technology, it will take longer for the inspections by Ansfisa, the National Agency for the Safety of Railways and Road and Motorway Infrastructure .
The three green facilities will also be able to refuel hydrogen buses: the company plans to launch a tender to purchase 14 of them, at an estimated cost of approximately €12 million. Once the contract is awarded, it will take about a year for the vehicles to enter service.
(Unioneonline)
