USA: Progress Rail is to lead the development of a demonstrator hydrogen fuel cell locomotive and fuelling infrastructure as part of a co-operation agreement announced by its parent company Caterpillar Inc on September 8.
Caterpillar has agreed to work with energy supplier Chevron on the development of various hydrogen demonstration projects in the transport and stationary power markets. The collaboration is intended to confirm the feasibility and performance of hydrogen as a commercially viable alternative to traditional fuels for line-haul locomotives and marine vessels. The partners will also look to demonstrate the use of hydrogen in the prime power sector.
As a Caterpillar company, Progress Rail has been nominated to facilitate the development of the fuel cell locomotive and associated hydrogen fuelling infrastructure. Work on the demonstration is expected begin immediately ‘at various locations across the United States’.
‘Chevron is pursuing opportunities to create demand for hydrogen — and the technologies needed for its use — for the heavy-duty transportation and industrial sectors, in which carbon emissions are harder to abate’, explained Jeff Gustavson, President of Chevron New Energies. ‘Our collaboration with Caterpillar is another important step toward advancing a commercially viable hydrogen economy.’
‘Collaborating with Chevron is a great opportunity to demonstrate the viability of hydrogen as a fuel source’, added Joe Creed, Caterpillar’s Group President of Energy & Transportation. ‘This agreement supports our commitment to investing in new products, technologies and services to help our customers achieve their climate-related objectives.’
