Groningen tender for four hydrogen trains has failed

Groningen has not been able to find a train manufacturer for the four hydrogen-electric trains that will run on the track from the end of 2027. The trains should have been an extension of an earlier trial. The province is now considering renting trains.

The tender started at the end of 2022, but train manufacturers were not interested, writes NOS. Deputy Johan Hamster says that this is partly due to the ‘large amount of customization’ that the province demanded, while it was a relatively small project. As a result, companies would have to invest a lot for little return, according to Hamster. About sixty million euros were available for the tender.

The province wants Arriva’s current diesel trains to be emission-free by 2035. The province has been looking at hydrogen-electric trains for years. For example, a trial with a hydrogen train started in 2019, which was successful. That is why the province wanted to expand the trial with four trains, which should run by the end of 2027. The province is now considering renting existing hydrogen trains. It is not clear whether the failure of the tender will have consequences for the province’s planning.

The Alstom hydrogen train that drove in Groningen.