why ?wuzak wrote: ↑25 Jun 2021, 13:40Why would they do such a thing?*notsofast wrote: ↑03 Oct 2020, 21:29I don't know if this is in any way relevant to this discussion: hydrogen-powered trains are being deployed in the UK and other European countries. For example:
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/business-54350046
Surely using electricity direct from the grid would be more efficient than converting water to hydrogen by electrolysis (presumably), transporting the hydrogen to fuel up the train, and then converting it to electricity with a fuel cell.
The overall efficiency must be half of what a direct electric train would get.
*It could make sense for a freight train in the middle of nowhere USA, but for a passenger/commuter train in the UK?
the flex in Hydroflex means a train for routes without (very costly) overhead cables or conductor rails
routes with low use that is - at times of the day when electricity demand from other uses is low
being zero-carbon matters more than energy-efficiency (at times when there's a glut of zero-carbon electricity)
it's real-time use of zero-carbon electricity - so avoiding the need for that electricity to be stored
(also hydrogen may be produced real-time by methods other than electrolysis)
maybe the UK's involvement should not be seen as a valid endorsement
and our lovely CCC has just said the extent of our real plans is 20% of the extent of our outline plans