Informed Sources
Scotland joins the fuel cell
Class 314 fuel cell demonstrator contract signed
Nine months to show COP26 delegates
Uses established drive train
Latest to enter the fuel cell demonstrator stakes is Transport Scotland with the announcement at the end of December 2020 that, in conjunction with Scottish Enterprise and the Hydrogen Accelerator, based at the University of St Andrews, it has appointed Arcola Energy to deliver Scotland’s first hydrogen-powered train. While the initial priority is a working train to show to delegates to the United Nations Climate Change conference (COP26) opening in Glasgow on 1 November, the overall aim of the project is to create opportunities for the Scottish rail supply chain through skills development and industrialisation of the technology.
Leading the project is hydrogen fuel cell integration specialist Arcola Energy, which has practical experience of fuel cell powered road vehicles, including an 18-tonne bus, and is currently equipping a 26-tonne bin lorry. The donor train for the conversion will be an ex-ScotRail Class 314.
