GREEN MOBILITY HYDROGEN TRAIN GRONINGEN

Acquisition of hydrogen-powered trains to provide regional rail services in North Netherlands and installation of one refuelling station.

The project consists of the acquisition of four hydrogen trains to provide regional rail services in the "Northern Lines" that cover the provinces of Groningen and Friesland and the installation of one refuelling station that will serve these trains, as well as in the future a possible extension for road vehicles and barges. The new rolling stock will provide additional capacity to run services on non-electrified railway network in the north of the Netherlands, including a small new extension from Veendam to Stadskanaal. The project is also the first milestone of a wider ambition to decarbonise transport in the region by replacing all existing diesel trains under this PSO with hydrogen trains.

The investments proposed under the project do not fall under either Annex I or Annex II of the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive 2011/92/EU as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU as manufacturing and use of rail rolling stock is not included in either list. The need for an EIA and/or assessment according to the Habitats Directive for the installation of the hydrogen refuelling facility and other associated facilities (e.g. maintenance depots) and the environmental standards applied during the potential scrappage of existing diesel trains will be analysed during the appraisal.

The Bank will require the Promoter to ensure that contracts for implementation of the project will be tendered in accordance with the applicable EU procurement legislation, 2014/25/EU as well as Directive 92/13/EEC as interpreted by the Court of Justice of the EU, with publication of tender notices in the Official Journal of the EU, as and where required.