The Piedmont Service: Hydrogen Fuel Cell Locomotive Feasibility Andreas Hoffrichter, PhD Nick Little Shanelle Foster, PhD Raphael Isaac, PhD Orwell Madovi Darren Tascillo Center for Railway Research and Education Michigan State University Henry Center for Executive Development 3535 Forest Road, Lansing, MI 48910 NCDOT Project 2019-43 FHWA/NC/2019-43 October 2020 -i- FEASIBILITY REPORT The Piedmont Service: Hydrogen Fuel Cell Locomotive Feasibility October 2020 Prepared by Center for Railway Research and Education Eli Broad College of Business Michigan State University 3535 Forest Road Lansing, MI 48910 USA Prepared for North Carolina Department of Transportation – Rail Division 860 Capital Boulevard Raleigh, NC 27603 -ii- Technical Report Documentation Page 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No. FHWA/NC/2019-43 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date The Piedmont Service: Hydrogen Fuel Cell Locomotive Feasibility October 2020 6. Performing Organization Code 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. Andreas Hoffrichter, PhD, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2384-4463 Nick Little Shanelle N. Foster, PhD, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9630-5500 Raphael Isaac, PhD Orwell Madovi Darren M. Tascillo 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) Center for Railway Research and Education 11. Contract or Grant No. Michigan State University Henry Center for Executive Development 3535 Forest Road Lansing, MI 48910 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period Covered Final Report Research and Development Unit 104 Fayetteville Street December 2018 – October 2020 Raleigh, North Carolina 27601 14. Sponsoring Agency Code RP2019-43 Supplementary Notes: 16. Abstract The North Carolina Department of Transportation, Rail Division (NCDOT) is responsible for the Piedmont passenger train that connects Raleigh and Charlotte. The benchmark locomotive-hauled trains comprise a diesel-electric locomotive, intermediate passenger cars, and a cab control unit. Diesel combustion results in exhaust containing air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions. The Rail Division desires to reduce emissions. Battery and hydrogen fuel cell technologies applied to railways offer the opportunity to eliminate harmful exhaust emissions with potential for a low- or zero-emission energy supply chain. Technical feasibility of diesel, hydrogen and hybrid options with batteries for the Piedmont service were assessed. Modeling of various train and powertrain configurations was conducted, and energy and emission impacts estimated on a well-to-wheel basis. Single train simulation was utilized for feasibility assessment of powertrains while GREET was employed to estimate well-to-wheel emissions and energy. 25 train configurations and powertrain options were modelled, and nine hydrogen supply options were evaluated in addition to the diesel and electricity supply. Results show that diesel and hydrogen hybrid options as well as a hydrogen only option would be feasible for the Piedmont and that a low- or zero-carbon hydrogen supply chain could likely be possible. Energy reduction from operations ranged from 14% for a two locomotive diesel and battery option to 48% for a single locomotive fuel cell hybrid plugin powertrain. Hydrogen production from electrolysis where electricity is provided from renewables offers the highest well-to-wheel (WTW) energy savings without emissions in the supply chain if produced at the refueling site. Hydrogen delivery from a central location with the same method results in a small amount of emissions. Electrolysis with electricity from the SERC grid would result in energy and emission increases for some criteria pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions on a WTW basis compared to the diesel-electric. Production from natural gas or biomass would reduce emissions and energy consumption. Based on the results of this study, energy and emission reductions could be achieved with a diesel hybrid configuration. Significant further WTW reductions could be realized with a hydrogen rail (hydrail) option. Most significantly, the results indicate that hydrail technology is feasible for the Piedmont service. 17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement Rail, hydrail, life cycle assessment, criteria pollutants, well-to-wheel, single train simulation, modelling 19. Security Classif. (of this report) 20. Security Classif. (of this page) 21. No. of Pages 22. Price Unclassified Unclassified 72 Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized -iii- DISCLAIMER The contents of this report reflect the views of the author(s) and not necessarily the views of Michigan State University. The author(s) are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of either the North Carolina Department of Transportation or any federal agency, such as the Federal Department of Transportation and Federal Railroad Administration at the time of publication. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. -i- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors would like to thank the North Carolina DOT Rail Division and DOT R&D Division for funding this project. Lynn Harris has assisted with provision of information that improved the precision of the modelling and provided useful feedback throughout the project. Dave Cook from Rail Propulsion System has provided guidance regarding the current equipment from his experience with previous North Carolina Rail Division projects. Various possible component and energy suppliers provided information that assisted with the project. The utilized single train simulator is an evolution and combination of tools first developed at the Birmingham Center for Railway Research and Education and WMG at the University of Warwick. -ii- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The North Carolina Department of Transportation Rail Division (NCDOT) has responsibility for the Piedmont passenger rail service between Raleigh and Charlotte, NC. Standard train configuration is two locomotives in a pull-pull configuration with three to four railcars depending on daily ridership demands. NCDOT plans to switch to a locomotive plus cab control unit (CCU) push-pull configuration by mid-2021. Counties along the route were previously in EPA air quality non-attainment status. Combustion of diesel results in EPA regulated pollutants as defined in 40CFR1033. NCDOT has the desire to reduce their environmental impact from rail operations, specifically emissions impacting air quality. Previous projects included the extensive testing of biodiesel and trial installation of aftertreatment systems to the existing locomotives to reduce exhaust emission pollutants. Hydrogen fuel cell propulsion technology, known as “hydrail”, offers the possibility to eliminate all harmful emissions from operations as the exhaust is water, primarily in vapor form, and therefore is considered a zero-emission option. NCDOT commissioned the Center for Railway Research and Education (CRRE) at Michigan State University (MSU) to assess the technical feasibility of a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain for the Piedmont service and estimate energy as well as emission impacts through the respective supply chain for diesel hybrid and hydrail options. Hydrogen is an energy carrier and, therefore, can be produced from many different feedstocks including fossil fuels, biomass, and electricity with varying impacts on emissions and energy consumption. The authors utilized modelling tools to estimate feasibility, energy and emissions impacts. For train operations the CRRE single train simulator was adapted and modified; for the supply chain well-to-wheel (WTW) assessment, the Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) model was employed. Route and train information were required inputs as well as efficiency maps for all major powertrain components, such as traction motors, generator, diesel engine, and fuel cell system. Where data was not available from NCDOT, pre-existing data in the modelling tools and information from literature was utilized. A traction motor map was developed at MSU. The train configuration with a diesel-electric locomotive and CCU was used as the benchmark. The simulator was validated with recorded data made available from NCDOT; simulation results were within acceptable margins compared with recorded data. In total 25 train configurations were modelled including battery hybrids, and nine hydrogen production pathways evaluated in addition to the conventional diesel supply chain. Primary results were that diesel hybrid options have the potential to reduce emissions and energy both from operations and on a WTW basis. However, implementation of the required propulsion components in an existing diesel locomotive is likely not possible due to space and weight constraints. Conversion of a CCU to house batteries or hydrail components appears to be a feasible choice. Zero-emissions cannot be achieved with a diesel hybrid as hydrocarbon combustion continues onboard the unmodified diesel locomotive. -iii- A hydrail solution is feasible as it is likely that all powertrain components could be installed on a locomotive or converted CCU. Refueling after one roundtrip would be necessary if a single locomotive plus unconverted CCU train configuration were adopted while it is likely that two roundtrips could be completed if a locomotive and converted CCU or two locomotive option would be implemented. Continuing to follow existing