Japanese rail operator eyes hydrogen trains fuelled by onboard liquid organic H2 carrier

Japanese rail company JR Central has partnered with Hitachi and oil firm Eneos to introduce hydrogen-powered trains on its routes that currently use diesel engines. They signed a deal to explore using methylcyclohexane (MCH) as a hydrogen source for these trains. MCH is a liquid at room temperature and can be transported easily, unlike compressed or liquefied hydrogen, which requires very low temperatures for storage.

The agreement involves researching the best hydrogen supply chain for railways, including different hydrogen carriers like liquefied hydrogen and MCH. Eneos will study hydrogen carriers and their compatibility with current infrastructure. Hitachi will develop the necessary technology for onboard hydrogen extraction from MCH. JR Central will calculate how much hydrogen is needed, where and how often refueling should occur, and how to load hydrogen onto trains.

JR Central’s president, Shunsuke Niwa, mentioned that there are challenges throughout the supply chain, such as making the equipment smaller to fit on vehicles. Although a specific timeline for commercialization isn't available yet, they plan to use the expertise of their partners to overcome these challenges.