Alstom signs agreement with Snam for hydrogen train development in Italy

Credit: Alstom/ Michael Wittwer

Alstom – a global leader in integrated solutions for sustainable mobility – has announced that it has signed a five-year agreement with Snam – one of the world’s leading energy infrastructure companies – for the development of hydrogen trains in Italy.

The agreement, after the conclusion of the first phase dedicated to feasibility studies, aims to develop railway mobility projects, including both hydrogen-powered trains and the related technological infrastructure, as well as management and maintenance services. As part of the agreement, Alstom will manufacture and maintain newly built or converted hydrogen trains, while Snam will develop the infrastructures for production, transport and refuelling.

This co-operation stems from the joint commitment of the two companies on hydrogen development: Alstom has launched the Coradia iLint, the first fuel cell train in the world, which has successfully been in service for a year and half on a regional route in Germany, while Snam has been one of the first companies in the world to experiment a 10 per cent hydrogen injection into the natural gas transportation network.

Managing Director of Alstom for Italy and Switzerland, Michele Viale, said: “We believe in hydrogen. This is the reason why we have signed a partnership with Snam. Coradia iLint, the first hydrogen powered train, is already in passenger service between the towns of Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven, Bremervörde and Buxtehudehe in Germany. We hope that Coradia ILint hydrogen trains will soon become a reality in Italy, too. Thanks to a partner like Snam, we will be able to respond to the market by offering a full-fledged solution.”

Marco Alverà, CEO of Snam, said: “This move is a further contribution to the decarbonisation of transport and to the development of hydrogen economy in Italy. Hydrogen produced from renewables will become competitive with fossil fuels in a few years and will play a key role in the energy transition, particularly in industry, heating and heavy transport. It will be a pillar of the European Green Deal and post-COVID-19 investments. Snam is investing and innovating to make its network compatible with hydrogen, to encourage the development of new technologies and create an Italian supply chain. Our country has the opportunity to be among the world leaders in the sector, reaping the environmental and economic benefits of this climate leadership”.