Siemens Energy and Siemens Mobility jointly drive development of hydrogen mobility

• •    Memorandum of Understanding for joint holistic hydrogen system for rail
• •    Siemens Energy and Siemens Mobility decarbonize the mobility sector

Siemens Energy and Siemens Mobility have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop and offer hydrogen systems for trains. The agreement was signed by Albrecht Neumann, CEO of Rolling Stock at Siemens Mobility and Armin Schnettler, Executive Vice President (EVP) of New Energy Business at Siemens Energy. The project aims at jointly developing holistic hydrogen solutions for rail transport and offering them to customers to promote the hydrogen economy in Germany and Europe and support decarbonization in the mobility sector.

Since its spin-off and public listing last Monday, September 28, 2020, Siemens Energy is no longer part of the Siemens Group. Siemens AG is the largest shareholder of Siemens Energy AG. Siemens Mobility GmbH, which belongs to Siemens AG, and Siemens Energy AG have signed a research cooperation agreement to continue and further expand their joint efforts in the promotion of hydrogen mobility.

“The decarbonization of energy systems is a central goal of Siemens Energy. So-called sector coupling plays a key role here – interconnecting previously separate energy-relevant sectors such as electricity and heat generation or mobility. This can be achieved – completely CO₂-free – with the electrolysis of water using electricity produced from renewable energy sources,” says Armin Schnettler, EVP New Energy Business at Siemens Energy. “Working together with Siemens Mobility, we want to drive sector coupling by developing, among other things, an electrolysis and fueling solution for the fast fueling of hydrogen-powered trains.”

“Our cooperation with Siemens Energy paves the way for sustainable and climate-friendly mobility. This way, we can support our customers in replacing their diesel-powered trains operating on non-electrified rail lines with emission-free hydrogen-powered trains over the longer term. Together with Siemens Energy, we can even offer hydrogen as a ‘hydrogen as a service’ model for a train’s service life,” says Albrecht Neumann CEO Rolling Stock of Siemens Mobility.

Over the next twenty years, thousands of diesel-electric multiple-unit trains are to be successively replaced by more environmentally friendly alternatives in Europe. Diesel-powered trainsets are still in service today on non-electrified rail routes. In Germany, for example, these routes account for around 50 percent of the country’s entire rail network. Environmentally friendly battery and hydrogen drives are to be used as a replacement for the diesel units.

Siemens Energy and Siemens Mobility plan to jointly develop a standardized hydrogen infrastructure solution for fueling the hydrogen-powered trains of Siemens Mobility and later expand the solution in pilot projects and specific customer projects.

Siemens Energy markets the systems and solutions needed for the generation and provision of green hydrogen, while Siemens Mobility focuses on rail transport solutions, including the required train maintenance and depot equipment. Working together, Siemens Energy and Siemens Mobility can offer rail customers a complete solution. This will not only support customer acceptance of hydrogen power in the transport market, but also promote the establishment of a sustainable hydrogen economy in Germany.

Siemens Energy is one of the world’s leading energy technology companies. The company works with its customers and partners on energy systems for the future, thus supporting the transition to a more sustainable world. With its portfolio of products, solutions and services, Siemens Energy covers almost the entire energy value chain – from power generation and transmission to storage. The portfolio includes conventional and renewable energy technology, such as gas and steam turbines, hybrid power plants operated with hydrogen, and power generators and transformers. More than 50 percent of the portfolio has already been decarbonized. A majority stake in the listed company Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) makes Siemens Energy a global market leader for renewable energies. An estimated one-sixth of the electricity generated worldwide is based on technologies from Siemens Energy. Siemens Energy employs 91,000 people worldwide in more than 90 countries and generated revenue of around €29 billion in fiscal year 2019. www.siemens-energy.com.