Ballard Receives Order From CPKC for Additional Fuel Cell Engines

Manufacturing company Ballard Power Systems announced Nov. 6 that it has received an order for 2.4 megawatts (MW) of additional fuel cell engines from Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC).

The 12, 200-kilowatt fuel cell engines are planned for delivery in 2023 and will “support the development of CPKC’s additional hydrogen-powered locomotives planned for regular switching and local freight service applications in Alberta,” the company said.

According to Ballard, the additional locomotives will be partially funded through the Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) program, which “helps the province deliver on its environmental and economic goals and will in turn support the decarbonization of rail transport by funding hydrogen production and refueling infrastructure along with hydrogen-powered locomotives.”

Over the past two years, Ballard has supplied CPKC with 38 fuel cell engines for use in its Hydrogen Locomotive Program, with combined fuel cell power of 7.6 MW. The additional locomotives are expected to enter service in late 2024.

“Our hydrogen locomotive program demonstrates our commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and we are pleased to continue to work with the team at Ballard to implement effective alternative fuel solutions,” said CPKC AVP Operations Technology Dr. Kyle Mulligan.

“We are excited by CPKC’s vision and action plan to demonstrate and validate the use of hydrogen-powered locomotives to decarbonize their locomotive fleet,” said Ballard Vice President of Rail and Engineering Markets Seungsoo Jung. “This latest order demonstrates CPKC’s continued progress against this vision and plan, while also serving as another proof point for the enabling role of Ballard’s fuel cell engines in the electrification of locomotive rail applications in North America.”

Further Reading

• CP’s Hydrogen Locomotive Program Advances

• CP’s Hydrogen Locomotive Powers Up

• Ballard to Power CP’s Expanded Hydrogen Locomotive Program

• First Look: CP’s Hydrogen Zero Emissions Locomotive