Thein Industry is one of the major players not only developing hydrogen for rail but also building and upgrading the entire infrastructure with hydrogen technology. The latest news is the opening of the first public refueling station in Prague and the introduction of a hydrogen-powered van.
"At Thein Industry, we have long supported Czech and Slovak companies in their modernization with hydrogen technologies. It gives us great pleasure to be present at such an important step of one of the leading Czech transport companies with European overlap. Such a connection makes sense for us and our ambition for the future is to continue and expand similar cooperation," commented Filip Budník, Investment Director of Thein Industry.
In particular, a Renault HYVIA van was presented, which will be leased to the Czech logistics and technology company Zásilkovna, part of the Packeta group. Thein Industry has brokered the car and will also provide the related operating lease. The new Unipetrol hydrogen refueling station is expected to make refueling significantly easier for users of the progressive hydrogen cars and hydrogen buses that the capital is about to test.
"Zásilkovna and the entire Packeta Group are perceived on the Czech and foreign markets as innovators, constantly bringing new innovations and solutions to the market. I believe that our cooperation with Thein Industry and Orlen will lead to a further shift in the use of hydrogen in logistics in the Czech Republic. The sustainability of our business is very important for our entire Group. By 2025, we aim to have a large part of our fleet running on alternative fuels, and we will also target our suppliers to make the entire supply chain sustainable. At the same time, as part of our strategy, we have decided to take measures to reduce our carbon footprint by more than 30% over the next five years," said Simona Kijonková, founder of Zásilkovna and CEO of Packeta Group.
In the autumn, Thein Industry also announced that it was preparing to convert its diesel-electric locomotives to hydrogen power. The original locomotives will be upgraded with a unique know-how to improve their existing performance and extend their life. The main advantages of using hydrogen fuel in rail transport are its emission-free ecological operation, its low overall weight, and its many times higher efficiency compared to conventional diesel fuel, which is around 55 percent for hydrogen power.
