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 by AFP Staff Writers Paris (AFP) April 8, 2021
French national railway SNCF said Thursday it has ordered 12 hydrogen-powered trains to begin tests in four regions in 2023 as it eyes a zero-emissions future with the nascent technology. The trains are to be built by the French industrial group Alstom and operate on either hydrogen or electricity when overhead catenary wires are available, a joint statement said. They are designed to run up to 600 kilometres (375 miles) on each hydrogen charge, and "should begin service in 2025," Alstom France head Jean-Baptiste Eymeoud was quoted as saying. The contract is worth 190 million euros ($225 million) for the 12 first trains, which are to seat 218 passengers and be divided evenly among the four regions in eastern and southern France. Alstom first tested prototypes in Germany three years ago and has now begun a commercial phase with 41 orders for the 72-metre-long (yards) trains. They are designed to combine onboard hydrogen with outside oxygen via a fuel cell mounted in the roof that powers the motors. "This is another step towards 'zero emissions' in public rail transport," the French-language statement quoted Christophe Fanichet, head of SNCF's Voyageurs unit, as saying. SNCF currently operates 1,100 regional express trains that use diesel fuel, and which it plans to phase out by 2035. It is also testing alternative technologies based on batteries and a "green" fuel made from colza. Hydrogen is considered a leader in the race to develop sustainable energy sources and slash carbon emissions. But it is expensive to produce and the electricity needed generates a lot of carbon dioxide emissions or other pollutants. liu/wai/lth
Shell says Texas winter storm to cost $200m London (AFP) April 7, 2021 Royal Dutch Shell forecast Wednesday that this year's deadly Texas winter storm will cost the Anglo-Dutch energy giant up to $200 million in the first quarter. That is equivalent to almost 170 million euros. "The Texas winter storm had an impact on our operations and is expected to have an aggregate adverse impact of up to $200 million on adjusted earnings," Shell said in a statement. Last year, Shell plunged into a net loss of $21.7 billion as factories shut and planes were grounded owing t ... read more
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