Giovanni Di Ilio

This editorial belongs the Special Issue titled “Catalysis for Hydrogen Storage and Release,” which offers an updated overview of recent advances in hydrogen technologies based on the collected articles

Currently, 60% of Europe’s rail network is electrified, carrying 80% of total rail traffic. However, non-electrified lines still rely on highly polluting diesel-fuelled trains. Since electrified rail systems are the most environmentally friendly mode of transport, the logical strategy to reduce carbon emissions in this sector would be to expand electrification. While there are no technical barriers to further electrification, in principle, the costs of such an upgrade are significant, and an effective alternative to diesel-fuelled trains must be found. In this context, green hydrogen is emerging as an interesting option to enhance the sustainability of non-electrified railway lines. In this study, the hydrogen demand of a train fleet operating on an existing non-electrified line is first evaluated as a selected case study, assessing their energy and fuel requirements as well as operational constraints. A dedicated hydrogen refueling station design is subsequently proposed, modeled, and analyzed to assess its technical feasibility, infrastructure requirements, and integration within the existing rail network. The proposed station configuration features a multi-tank buffer storage at 550 bar and a low-pressure storage at 200 bat, and it is intended to serve fuel cell electric trains equipped with on-board storage systems operating at 350 bar nominal pressure. Hydrogen is supplied to the station by an electrolzyer and tube trailers making daily deliveries. The results of this analysis provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities associated with the implementation of hydrogen-powered rail transport, offering valuable insights for the practical deployment of hydrogen technologies in this sector.

The maritime transportation sector is one of the main contributors to global emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs). The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has adopted a strategy to reduce these emissions from international shipping >50% by 2050, compared to 2008’s emissions. Therefore, ship owners need to adopt solutions to bring emissions within these and other future limits by means of environmentally friendly fuels (hydrogen or hydrogen carriers) and high efficiency propulsion technologies (fuel cells). This paper focuses on the replacement of the conventional Diesel genset installed on a hybrid small-size ferry, with an innovative system based on PEMFC technology. A real case scenario is investigated: the total energy/power demand of the vessel is determined basing on a typical operational profile. Then, a preliminary redesign of its powertrain configuration is proposed along with an energy management strategy. The analysis has allowed to define the hydrogen consumption for a daily operation. Finally, different storage technologies involving both compressed and liquefied hydrogen have been considered and compared, in order to identify ship’s weight and space requirements.