Stainless steel in hydrogen-powered trains

In order to replace diesel trains and reduce CO2 emissions Roland Berger Global Consulting forecasts (2022) that 20% of regional trains in Europe will run on hydrogen by 2035. The biggest advantage of hydrogen powered trains is the reduction of emissions. Unlike natural gas or diesel, hydrogen produced by electrolysis has zero emissions.

Stainless steels can be used for the bipolar plates in the fuel cells and the hydrogen fuel tanks. Considering the risk of hydrogen embrittlement and the characteristics of hydrogen (which liquefies at -253°C), stainless steel 316L is one of the best choices to be used in a hydrogen-powered train.

For more information about stainless steel in hydrogen-powered trains, please contact Jaejun Jay Lee at lee@worldstainless.org