UK consortium developing biogas and hydrogen dual-fuel Class 66 locomotive
A consortium of Clean Air Power and Freightliner has secured almost £0.4 million (US$0.55 million) of government funding to develop a biogas and hydrogen dual-fuel solution for the Class 66 locomotive. The technology is one of the 30 winners of the latest round of the First of a Kind (FOAK) competition announced by the Transport Secretary.
The Freightliner Class 66 locomotives are 3300hp diesel electric mainline units introduced in 1998. Maximum speed is 75 mph.
This is the first time that this hydrogen dual-fuel technology, which is used in the road industry, will be applied to the rail freight sector on such a widely used class of locomotive. Work will commence on 1 July and take place over a nine-month period.