Conference Agenda

17 March 2022: 9am - 5pm GMT / 10am - 6pm CET

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Links to the recorded sessions can be found by clicking on the speaker within the agenda.
Time Information
09:00 - 09:05
09:05 - 09:35
Keynote: Decarbonisation whilst creating jobs and growth
Will Wilson, CEO, Siemens Mobility Ltd


UK decarbonisation targets (2040) are under threat
The UK could miss its decarbonisation targets – unless we go further and faster than today, and unless the industry and government work together towards the best solutions, including: electrification, self-powered trains and hydrogen trains. We also need to find ways to encourage more people to use trains. We must not delay meeting climate targets – for us and the next generation. The UK can take a lead in driving rail decarbonisation.

09:40 - 10:10
Hydrogen refuelling stations for train - using simulation tools to optimise heavy duty refuelling stations
Jens Wulff, Managing Director, NEUMAN & ESSER Deutschland GmbH & Co KG


10:15 - 10:45
Increase the energy efficiency of trains
Bart van der Spiegel, Expert Energy Management, Infrabel


Battery trains and hydrogen trains are solutions to phase-out diesel traction. Both will have their fields of application. How should we chose between the different possibilities? What changes are needed to the actual regulatory and standardisation framework? All trains shall have a high level of energy efficiency. How can we improve the energy efficiency of train traffic?
10:45 - 10:50
Comfort Break


10:50 - 11:20
Greening regional rolling stock
Matthieu Renault, Technical Batch Manager, SNCF


In 2020, SNCF launched PLANETER, a program to reduce the environmental impact of regional mobility based on the belief that with more regional trains, there will be much less GHG. To further reduce CO2 emissions, in addition to the work concerning operation topics (optimal driving, eco-stationing, regularity,…), SNCF investigate several solutions for greening its fleet: biofuel, hybrid trains, hydrogen trains, and battery trains.
11:25 - 11:55
Green mobility at Deutsch Bahn powered by hydrogen
Marc-Andre Sahba, Lead Project Manager, H2goesRail, Deutsche Bahn AG
Christian Pieper, Project Manager Alternative Drives and Infrastructure, DB Energie GmbH


  • At Deutsche Bahn, we are breaking new ground and driving forward decarbonization of the transport sector for the good of the environment.
  • DB wants to be climate-neutral by 2040 and use for example hydrogen instead of diesel in regional passenger service.
  • It is crucial to understand and master the technology as an overall system, i.e. vehicle, H2 supply infrastructure and maintenance infrastructure must interact perfectly to achieve an operational optimum.
  • The funding project H2goesRail is playing a major role at Deutsche Bahn achieving a climate-neutral status and a fully green DB fleet.
12:00 - 12:30
We need to move but let’s keep it clean: rail is the key part of decarbonised transport networks
Alexander Burrows, Director of Enterprise and Innovation, Birmingham Centre for Railway Research & Education


In this session, Alex will present on the importance of reducing emissions while recognising that demand for mobility will always exist.  Therefore a long term strategic view needs to be taken of how we ensure we are on a journey to emission-free transport networks globally.
12:30 - 12:50
Lunch Break


12:50 - 13:30
13:30 - 13:45
13:50 - 14:20
Accelerating emission-free railway through modular propulsion and energy storage solutions
Senthilnathan Mariappan, Product Manager, ABB
Thomas Huggenberger, Product Manager, ABB


Global megatrends are redefining the mobility sector. The railway industry is striving for greater energy efficiency and reducing its carbon footprint. Innovative & energy efficient propulsion technologies are therefore essential to fully optimize the overall propulsion system and make railways even more sustainable.

Alternative low-carbon and zero-carbon drive systems with embedded onboard energy storage systems are an integral part of this transition. Rolling stock applications place demanding requirements on batteries in-addition to the large diversity in application requirements which require careful selection of the right battery technology.

This presentation will focus on energy efficient propulsion systems and battery technology for rolling stock applications and present a few application examples.
14:25 - 14:55
Evaluating and avoiding CO2 emissions in the procurement of sustainable train technology - A joint path to 2050
Sven Schirmer, TCO CO2 Ambassador - Evaluating and avoiding CO2 emissions in Procurement, ÖBB


On the path to climate neutrality, Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) have set the goal of integrating environmental impacts caused by products and services into the procurement process. The model presented in this session, which was developed in cooperation between ÖBB and Graz University of Technology, enables a product-(or service-)specific calculation of the environmental impacts caused by production, construction and use phase in the context of (public) procurement. These environmental impacts are monetised and integrated into the Total Costs of Ownership (TCO). The sustainable “next-generation” train technology can therefore already be evaluated in the design process and compared to each other. Is it better to use hydrogen powered trains or battery driven? What impact has this or that way of implementation? Because not only the resulting technology will be considered in the procurement processes of the rail operators but also the CO2 emissions of the complete lifecycle of the next train.
15:00 - 15:30
Hydrogen fuel tank systems for rail applications
Felix Grass, Sales Director Europe Rail & Distribution, Hexagon Purus


15:35 - 16:05
Pathways to a Hydrogen Future in Rail
Jonathan Brown, Global Decarbonisation & Sustainability Lead, Ricardo Rail


How new approaches to hydrogen propulsion may provide an accelerated pathway to adoption as part of a future zero carbon rail system.

By adopting new fuel in existing assets, cost and risk hurdles to embracing hydrogen can be reduced and spread out.

Could this innovation provide the missing link our industry needs for our journey to a green future?
16:05 - 16:07