Chile: Ferrocarril Antofagasta Bolivia (FCAB) inaugurates first hydrogen locomotive in Latin America

The Luksic Group’s freight transportation company, Ferrocarril Antofagasta Bolivia (FCAB) presented the first locomotive powered by green hydrogen in Chile and Latin America. The inauguration took place during a ceremony led by the CEO of the Antofagasta plc Group, Iván Arriagada, together with several regional and local authorities.

This initiative marks a milestone in the advancement of the energy transition and the decarbonization of the transportation sector. It should be recalled that the Antofagasta plc Group has set itself the goal of reducing its carbon emissions by 30% by 2030.

The locomotive, developed by AHTECH CRRC Qishuyan Company, is designed specifically for FCAB’s operational routes. It should be noted that it complies with the principles of standardization, modularization, serialization and generalization, ensuring its adaptability and efficiency. In the first phase, it will travel from FCAB’s facilities in the city of Antofagasta in northern Chile to the port, and will also be used for internal maneuvers.

Today, FCAB is in the final phase of preparation for the operation of the locomotive, including the installation of adequate facilities and the training of its personnel in the maintenance and operation of the machines. In this line, the company has also secured the supply of green hydrogen for 2024, key to its continued operation.

This initiative is expected to generate poles of investment, innovation and local activity in the clean fuels sector.

Characteristics of the green hydrogen locomotive:

• It has a total power of 1000 kilowatts.
• It is equipped with a large-capacity battery and a 35MPa on-board hydrogen storage system.
• Its lightweight design is capable of reducing weight by approximately 30 tons compared to other current hydrogen locomotives.

Source: FCAB