Siemens Announces Receipt of Funding For Fuel Cell Train Development Program With Ballard

Vancouver, Canada and Munich, Germany – Ballard Power Systems congratulates Siemens AG following its announcement of the receipt of approximately 12 million Euro in funding to support the development of a zero-emission fuel cell light rail train called Mireo.

Ballard announced on November 14th, 2017 that the company had signed a multi-year Development Agreement with Siemens for development of a 200 kilowatt fuel cell engine to power the Mireo train, with a contemplated value of $9 million to Ballard.

Mireo is a modular commuter train platform designed for speeds of up to 160 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour). According to Ballard Power thanks to lightweight design, energy-efficient components and intelligent onboard network management, the Mireo will consume up to 25% less energy than trains with similar passenger capacity. Initial deployments of the fuel cell-powered Mireo train are planned for 2021.

The long-term goal of the collaboration between Siemens and Ballard is the development of a modular, scalable traction construction system using fuel cells, integrated into the Mireo train platform. In this way, Mireo can flexibly serve a variety of applications – both battery-electric and trolley-less, with the help of hydrogen-powered vehicles.

Rheinisch-Wesfälische Technische Hochshule Aachen (RWTH) is a partner of the program. Siemens and RWTH Aachen University are funded under the program by the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) through the “National Innovation Program Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology”. The program is coordinated by the NOW GmbH National Organization for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology.

Source: IWR Online, 01 Mar 2018