On September 28, China’s first-ever high-power hydrogen-powered locomotive smoothly started its operation test in CHN Energy Xinshuo Railway Company, marking a significant breakthrough in the market-oriented application of high-power hydrogen energy power equipment for heavy-haul railway in China. The gaps in the domestic industry were filled. Aiming at “peaking carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060” (hereinafter referred to as “Dual Carbon Goals”), this milestone advanced useful exploration and successful practice for green revolution of production mode in heavy-haul railway on the fast track.
As the Chair of Executive Board of National Alliance of Hydrogen and Fuel Cell, CHN Energy Group takes the lead in the pilot for railway transport hydrogen-powered industry by making progress in the development of hydrogen-powered equipment for heavy-haul railway. Xinshuo Railway Company and CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd. jointly developed a high-power hydrogen-powered shunting locomotive, the first of its kind in China. Such locomotive is shaped like a male lion, with blue, white and green as the dominant colors, thereby highlighting the application philosophy of green, energy saving and environmental friendliness of hydrogen-powered shunting locomotive. Modular, standardized and generalized design is utilized, while scalable hydrogen-powered shunting locomotive technology platform is set up. In echo with different traction usage demands, a variety of power supply modes (hydrogen fuel supply, lithium battery and hybrid power supply) and different energy output strategies are realized. This locomotive is able to work in the railway lines both with and without power grids. With greater wide-area environment adaptability, it meets the operation requirements for intra-station shunting, district transfer, loop line loading, power plant pick-up and delivery, among others. With the designed speed of 100 km/h, instantaneous power at wheel rim up to 2,400 kW and the maximum starting traction force of 560 kN, this locomotive is geared to the maximum traction load of 10,000 tons on the straight road and 5,000 tons on the ramp at slope gradient of 4‰. With long endurance, high power within short time, higher efficiency and more energy saving benefits, this hydrogen-powered locomotive features the largest power, the largest traction force and the largest hydrogen capacity of heavy-haul railway in China. This locomotive is equipped with intelligent on-board auxiliary system, wireless transmission technology, intelligent driving system. Through the reserved automatic loading system interface, this locomotive could match with automatic loading system, thereby achieving automatic shunting operation and automatic coal loading, and improving operation efficiency.
With a total hydrogen capacity of 5,880L, under a full load of hydrogen, this locomotive could run continuously for more than 12 hours, with endurance mileage of 800 kilometers. In the operation course, only water is emitted. Every year, this locomotive could reduce fuel consumption by 164 tons and carbon dioxide emissions by 508 tons. It is an effective solution to “bottlenecks” of traditional diesel locomotive, namely, high energy consumption, heavy pollution and loud noise. It adopts clean energy in a real sense and generates significant environmental benefits. After all 21 shunting locomotives are upgraded by Xinshuo Railway Company, the annual carbon emissions could be reduced by 10,676 tons, which is equivalent to planting 584,000 trees. Positive contribution is made towards “Dual Carbon Goals” through this initiative.
The complete success of this service test not only sets a convincing example for the iterative upgrading of heavy-haul railway equipment on the path towards high-quality development, but also lays a solid foundation for playing the exemplary and leading role of CHN Energy Group in a new wave of heavy-haul railway new energy power equipment industry. CHN Energy Group bravely takes the responsibility of an enterprise owned by the Central Government, and makes due contributions to more fruitful practices towards “Dual Carbon Goals”.
