Alstom has successfully completed the world’s first run of a shunting locomotive converted from diesel to hydrogen power at its Salzgitter site in Germany. The milestone marks a significant step towards decarbonising shunting operations and demonstrates the potential of hydrogen in rail transport.
The modernisation project has been developed in partnership with VPS Verkehrsbetriebe Peine-Salzgitter, WTZ Roßlau gGmbH, TU Braunschweig and the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films. The initiative is supported by the city of Salzgitter, which has contributed EUR 1.5 million in funding from Lower Saxony’s EUR 50 million structural aid package.
Following conversion, the locomotive engine runs on direct, CO2-free hydrogen combustion. The vehicle will now undergo industrial testing at Salzgitter Group’s steel production facilities until October 2025. Results from the trial will inform the potential for wider use of the technology, with the locomotive subsequently returned to its original condition.
CO₂ savings potential
Alstom estimates that replacing diesel engines with hydrogen could deliver significant environmental benefits. Germany currently operates around 1,000 diesel shunting locomotives, with a further 4,000 in service across Europe. A single converted locomotive can save up to 150 tonnes of CO2 per year, or as much as 3,000 tonnes over a remaining service life of 15 to 20 years—the equivalent of emissions from 650 cars or planting 200,000 trees.
“With this research project, we are once again pioneering the use of hydrogen in rail transport. We are expanding the spectrum of vehicle modernisation with a doubly sustainable approach—thanks to this solution, our customers can switch to emission-free operation without having to replace their existing fleet,” François Muller, Vice President Services for Central and Northern Europe at Alstom, said.
The initiative is closely linked to Salzgitter’s wider decarbonisation strategy. VPS, a logistics subsidiary of Salzgitter AG, operates 42 shunting locomotives within the steel production network. The project also complements the SALCOS programme, which aims to transform steelmaking by shifting from blast furnace production to hydrogen-based direct reduction.
Frank Klingebiel, Mayor of Salzgitter, described the project as part of the city’s transformation: “At our Hydrogen Campus, we are developing the technologies of tomorrow in the areas of factory transformation, green hydrogen and hydrogen storage. In the joint project to decarbonise shunting traffic, the city is not only on the sidelines but is also an active player with a financial contribution of EUR 1.5 million.”
Partners in the project emphasised the importance of innovation and climate protection. Astrid Paus of the Braunschweig Regional Development Office noted that the conversion demonstrated “well-invested funding in innovation, CO2 savings and climate protection.” Dr Johannes Dreier, Managing Director of VPS, said the trial fitted perfectly into the group’s transition plans, while Dr Christian Reiser of WTZ Roßlau highlighted the successful transfer of hydrogen technology “from the test bench to the real track.”
TU Braunschweig’s Prof Dr Peter Eilts added that hydrogen’s combustion properties allowed for improved efficiency while reducing emissions: “We have worked intensively on the design of the exhaust gas turbocharging, as the high excess air poses a particular challenge here. With success!”
The project is scheduled for completion in autumn 2025. If successful, it could pave the way for a scalable series solution and wider adoption of hydrogen technology in Europe’s rail sector.
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