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          Discover Innovation pillar

          Innovation Pillar

          EU-Rail’s Innovation Pillar (IP) is tasked to deliver operational and technological solutions that contribute to a more efficient, flexible, and demand-led, yet safe and environmentally sustainable European railway system.

          Discover System pillar

          System Pillar

          The System Pillar provides governance, resource, and outputs to support a coherent and coordinated approach to the evolution of the rail system and the development of the system view.

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          Discover Deployment Group

          Deployment Group

          The Deployment Group advises the EU-Rail Governing Board on the market uptake of rail innovation developments and support their deployment.

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          Deployment Group Participants

          Explore the DAC Delivery Programme

          For a successful and effective implementation of the Digital Automatic Coupler for European rail freight (DAC), it is of crucial importance to have open, close and efficient cooperation between rail stakeholders. The European DAC Delivery Programme enabled by Europe’s Rail, offers a unique European platform for such cooperation and collaboration.

          Discover Shift2Rail

          The Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking is the predecessor programme of the Europe's Rail Joint Undertaking (EU-Rail), established by Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021.

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          About Shift2Rail

          Shift2Rail R&I Programme

          Shift2Rail Key Documents

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          Governing Board & Decisions

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        • Projects

          Discover detailed information on Europe's rail innovation initiatives, showcasing flagship and other projects aimed at enhancing rail systems across Europe. It highlights collaborative efforts funded by the European Union to develop sustainable, efficient, and competitive rail transport solutions.

           

          Solutions catalogue

          Europe’s Rail Catalogue of Solutions illustrates successful R&I results in the form of possible products and solutions, while highlighting the benefits for final users, operators, infrastructure managers and/or suppliers. This publication also outlines the advantages of integrating demonstrators into market solutions so that they can deliver the rail innovation Capabilities of the future.

        • Who we are?
          About Europe's Rail

          Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking (EU-Rail) is the European partnership on rail research and innovation established under the Horizon Europe programme (2020-2027) and the universal successor of the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking.

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          Mission and objectives

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          Discover Europe's Rail Members

          Find out the full list of Europe's Rail Members.

          Discover Structure of Governance

          Discover the full structure and governance of Europe's Rail, including the decisions of the Governing Board.

          Explore Structure of Governance

          Governing Board

          General Assembly

          States Representatives Group

          Scientific Steering Group

          Executive Director

          Discover Reference Documents

          Get access to Europe's Rail main reference documents, including Annual Work Plans, Annual Activity Reports, Annual Accounts and other important information.

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          Key Documents

          Annual Work Plan and Budget

          Annual Activity Report

          Annual Accounts

          Functioning of the Europe's Rail JU

News

A new study by Roland Berger on FCH train technology, commissioned by Shift2Rail and Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertakings, is just out. The study analyses the state of the art, the business case, the market potential, specific case studies and technical and non-technical barriers to the use of FCH technology in different rail applications.

 

The analysis finds that the global FCH train market development activities are currently concentrated in Europe. This puts the region at the forefront of FCH train technology, which constitutes a significant potential for the European FCH industry.

The study also emphasises the environmental benefits of FCH technology. FCH trains are well positioned to help Europe reach its greenhouse gas, air contaminant and noise-reduction goals as a versatile zero-emission technology in rail transportation.

With the competitiveness of FCH technology, FCH Multiple Units can potentially replace 30% of diesel volumes as the most market-ready application by 2030. Some of the cases evaluated already show a positive Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for fuel cells while in others this technology is recognised as the most adequate zero-emission alternative:

  1. Multiple units are seen as the application closest to the market but projects involving few trains or low daily millage will have problems to reach appropriate TCO due to the infrastructure costs;
  2. Shunter locomotives need further technological development but there are circumstances where they could be already competitive with diesel;
  3. Freight locomotives have a more difficult economic justification although if catenary electrification is not an option, fuel cells would be the only zero-emission option.

While some barriers to FCH technology have been identified, no show-stoppers were found. To ease the most relevant barriers, three actions were suggested: large-scale demonstration of multiple unit train fleets; development, engineering and prototype operation of shunters or mainline locomotives; and technology development for optimised hydrogen storage system for FCH rail applications.

To present these results S2R JU and FCH JU are organising a workshop on Friday 17 May 2019 in Brussels. The workshop will gather the most relevant technology providers, members of the rail sector community and policy makers for a discussion on the next steps on the use of FCH trains.

 

 

Europe's Rail