German state-owned railway company Deutsche Bahn (DB) is working with the energy industry to develop ways to use its fleet of tank wagons to transport liquid hydrogen derivates, mainly in the form of ammonia, in large volumes from import terminals to industrial demand centres.

DB Cargo, the company’s freight arm, would deploy tank wagons already used to transport chemicals to move ammonia around its 35,000km rail network. The plan offers an efficient alternative to hydrogen pipelines, which Germany does not possess, the company says.

"We have developed a solution that brings hydrogen easily and efficiently from the ports to consumers in the hinterland, particularly to our industrial customers. In this way, we are creating a safe and efficient supply chain for the German economy," says Sigrid Nikutta, head of DB Cargo.

Initial transport by rail would focus only on liquids, with cracking back to hydrogen still needed at the point of use, DB says. But the company is also working on the development of containers for pure hydrogen.

35,000km – Length of DB’s rail network

“This solution makes sense when it comes to the small-scale distribution of pure hydrogen to decentralised customers and users—for example hydrogen filling stations,” the company says.

Germany is expected to import at least half of its clean hydrogen needs in future decades. Efforts to develop import facilities are gathering pace, although the main focus of new facilities is initially on LNG as the country scrambles to develop an alternative to Russian gas imports amid the crisis triggered by the war in Ukraine.

“Germany is set to import the lion’s share of its future green hydrogen requirements because it does not have the space required for the additional renewable power production,” says DB. It cites government estimates of annual German hydrogen demand in 2030 of about 100TWh, compared with the country’s current electricity demand of c.580TWh.

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Author: Stuart Penson