Romania Abandons Purchase of Hydrogen Trains: Funds Redirected to Highway Construction
Romania has decided to cancel the planned purchase of 12 hydrogen-powered trains, which would have cost a total of 360 million euros, this is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.
Initially, the funding was to come from the Resilience and Recovery Facility (PNRR), but the funds will now be redirected towards the construction of new highways.
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This announcement was made by Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu following a meeting with European Union representatives in Brussels, which focused on the efficient use of PNRR funds. He noted that despite three attempts to conduct a tender, there were no interested participants.
The hydrogen trains were intended to be used on non-electrified sections of Romania’s railways.
Only 20% of Romania’s railway network is electrified, which is the lowest percentage in the European Union, excluding the Baltic states.
This fact underscores the need to modernize and develop infrastructure to improve transportation connectivity and enhance environmental sustainability.
Meanwhile, companies such as Alstom and Stadler continue to supply hydrogen trains to other European countries, including Italy.
In April 2024, the hydrogen train FCH2RAIL, developed by CAF, received approval for operation in Portugal. This authorization came after successful trials, making Portugal the second country in Europe, after Spain, to approve the use of this innovative transport on its railway lines.
Romania’s decision to abandon hydrogen trains and reallocate funds to highway development may spark controversy among experts and environmentalists.
On one hand, priority has been given to improving road infrastructure, which could foster economic growth and enhance connectivity between regions.
On the other hand, disregarding environmentally friendly technologies in the railway sector could slow the transition to more sustainable transportation solutions in the long term.
European countries like Germany, France, and Spain are already actively deploying hydrogen trains, seeing this as a step towards reducing carbon emissions and decreasing dependence on fossil fuels.
The experiences of Portugal and Spain demonstrate that hydrogen trains can be an effective alternative to diesel counterparts on routes with limited electrification.
Amid growing attention to sustainable development and climate change mitigation, Romania’s abandonment of hydrogen trains appears to be a step backward in European decarbonization efforts.
While other countries are increasing investments in environmentally friendly transportation, the Romanian government’s decision may be perceived as contradictory and short-sighted.
Nevertheless, only time will tell how justified this reallocation of resources was, given the current economic situation and the country’s political priorities.
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Romania Abandons Purchase of Hydrogen Trains: Funds Redirected to Highway Construction, source
