ITM Power: Sheffield firm explores use of green hydrogen tech to decarbonise train travel
South Yorkshire-based ITM Power is set to take on research which could see the company use its green hydrogen technology to decarbonise train travel.
Based in Sheffield, ITM Power designs and manufactures industrial-scale technology used in green hydrogen production.
In an announcement to the London Stock Exchange, ITM said that it has signed a letter of intent with German railway technology company, DB Systemtechnik GmbH. The move could see the firms work together on the development, piloting and testing of green energy solutions for the transport sector.
ITM said it intends to form an “innovation and research partnership” with DB Systemtechnik, building on an agreement with the German firm’s parent company, Deutsche Bahn.
The collaboration will look into opportunities where the firms could deploy green hydrogen technology to help decarbonise rail transport.
The companies will also look at other associated travel methods including bus and truck fleets, as well as the energy resilience requirements of railway infrastructure.
Speaking on the announcement, Dennis Schulz, CEO of ITM Power, said: “We are delighted to take the next step in our close collaboration.
“The agreement and planned study mark an important progression in our relationship and further underline the potential role of green hydrogen in the decarbonisation of critical transport infrastructure.”
As an initial step, ITM Power and DB Systemtechnik said they intend to undertake a Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) study. The move will aim to assess the technical configuration, site integration, operational requirements and commercial framework for the potential applications of ITM’s technology at Deutsche Bahn sites.
Dr. Hiie-Mai Unger, CEO of DB Systemtechnik, said: “The collaboration with ITM Power underlines our commitment to driving innovation in sustainable railway systems.
“The planned FEED study will provide valuable insights into how green hydrogen can be integrated into our infrastructure, strengthening both decarbonisation efforts and operational resilience across the DB network.”
The partnership will also evaluate solutions for the production, sourcing and storage of green fuels for day-to-day operations.
Earlier this year, ITM announced that it was planning to take on 400 more staff after the company received a huge investment package from the Government.
In April, ITM announced that it had received a £40m investment from Great British Energy, the UK’s publicly owned energy company, alongside a £46.5m Government grant in principle to deliver a major expansion of hydrogen technology manufacturing in the UK.
In a statement issued following the announcement, Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband, said: “This investment is the Government’s clean energy mission in action- rebuilding our energy security with clean homegrown power and good industrial jobs for South Yorkshire.
“This has only happened thanks to months of intense collaboration between Great British Energy, our publicly owned energy company, the government and ITM Power. It is time to make and build things in Britain again, and with this Government’s clean energy mission, we will.”
ITM’s Sheffield site manufactures ‘electrolysers’, a technology required to generate green hydrogen, by using electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The technology is considered vital for the large-scale roll-out of green hydrogen.