TOKYOApril 25 (News On Japan) – The first meeting of a national panel of experts focused on the mass production of hydrogen fuel cell trains, seen as viable alternatives to diesel engines in rural areas, took place recently, as part of the initiative to achieve carbon emissions neutrality by 2050.
During the meeting, discussions focused, among other things, on safety measures for handling high-pressure hydrogen gas. Katsumi Kishitani, technical advisor at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), emphasized the importance of this transition. “Replacing diesel cars currently operating on non-electrified routes with hydrogen fuel cell rail vehicles as soon as possible is a critical issue for the MLIT,” he stated.
On April 24, the MLIT convened this panel of experts to develop standards for the safe implementation and mass production of hydrogen fuel trains. The meeting included presentations on current research and operational examples from Europe, the United States and Japan, and set the stage for future in-depth discussions on emergency response standards and the deployment of high-pressure hydrogen gas installations.
Domestically, the East Japan Railway Company’s “HYBARI” project is progressing with plans for implementation by fiscal year 2030, involving continued experimentation and development efforts.
Source: ANN
