Despite the rail’s sector already remarkable environmental performance, it is continually challenged to further reduce its environmental footprint, hence, contributing to the world efforts to reduce the Greenhouse gases (GHG) and criteria pollutant emissions, aligned with the global initiatives to tackle the climate change effects, as well as the reduction of regional and local emissions.
Hence, the alternative zero local emission technologies, based on the so called “autonomous electrification” approach, such as the hydrogen fuel cell and battery electric driven powertrains, have been researched for the use in the rail segment, focused on the improvement of the environmental sustainability, efficiency and decreasing the dependency on fossil fuels on light to medium loaded rail corridors.
This work presents a comparative assessment of the Straight Electric Rail (SER), Hydrogen Fuel Cell Rail (Hydrail) and Battery Only Electric Rail (BOER), based on a quantitative evaluation of the (environmental, operational and economic) performance drivers, supported on the public available reference data (average emissions and operational performance data), as well as on a cost premium approach methodology, compared to the straight electric rail (SER).
The quantitative analysis shows that there is not a “one size fits all” zero emission rail technology, with the best suited solution being dependent on a series of performance variables. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the BOER technology represents a short term environmental friendly sensible interim solution for the low to medium range, while larger ranges might set Hydrail, as the recommended zero emission rail technology.
Finally, the SER technology should be the preferred solution for those rail lines with traffic volumes above 2 trains/hour, given the high electrical infrastructure costs.