BERLIN: Travelers in Germany will soon have the opportunity to be among the first people to ride on a passenger train powered by hydrogen energy, after Germany announced that hydrail “Coradia iLint” trains will operate on some German lines beginning in December 2017.
German officials hope that the trains will provide a sustainable, environmentally friendly alternative to diesel powered trains as Germany continues its push for clean energy and a diminished reliance on fossil fuels.
“Germany stands apart as a global leader in the industrialized world’s push to limit fossil-fuel consumption,” wrote The Christian Science Monitor’s David Unger in 2014. “Forging a stable path to a post-carbon economy would be a watershed moment in human history – not to mention a tremendous economic boon for whoever finds the way. But it will not be easy to shift off the coal, oil, and natural gas that have powered global economic development for centuries.”