Hydrogen may be one of the main sources of energy of tomorrow. However, transporting it by rail while still in its gaseous state remains a significant challenge. An international consortium led by DB Cargo has developed a new container that might open up new possibilities for the sector.
The multiple element gas container (MEGC) is “the first 500 bar container approved for rail transport with an increased load capacity of 1,223 kg”, DB Cargo said. The German rail freight group is participating in the project through its chemical branch DB Cargo BTT. German companies Infraserv Höchst and Fraunhofer IML are also part of the project, together with Norwegian Hexagon Purus and Swiss Endress+Hauser.
The development of the MEGC was funded by the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. The invested amount has not been publicly disclosed yet, but it comes from a 4,6-billion-euro package to improve hydrogen infrastructure. The new container will allow the monitoring of temperatures, pressure and vibration through special sensors. “At the end of the year, the container will then transport green hydrogen by rail for the first time as part of a pilot project”, DB Cargo concluded.
