The Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) in South Wales has revealed that groups involved in a rail innovation competition are developing projects that the Centre could deliver.

Last year, Innovate UK and the UK Government launched the competition at InnoTrans 2024 in Berlin. Titled ‘Contracts for Innovation: International Rail Innovation Challenges’, its aim is to address major issues in the railway industry around the world.

The competition was funded through the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

It attracted 105 submissions, 44 of which received funding from the competition to develop their ideas to the stage of establishing feasibility.

These include a project that aims to reduce rail vehicle emissions using hydrogen-powered carbon clean and capture.

28 of the feasibility studies have stated that the GCRE could take their ideas forward.

GCRE is being established as a facility for world-class research, testing and innovation, covering aspects of the industry including rolling stock, infrastructure and new rail technologies.

GCRE Ltd Chief Executive Simon Jones explained that he sees the projects as showing the commercial potential of the Global Centre of Excellence facility.

“The ideas we have seen supported through the first phase of the programme relate to some of the most urgent and important challenges in international rail. They show us how we can develop the stronger, greener and more reliable passenger and freight railways we need across the world.

“What they also demonstrate very clearly is the importance of collaboration in getting there. The competition has brought together teams working in industry, academia and the supply chain from right across the world, all committed to working together to take forward their exciting projects.

“This competition is a critical one for GCRE as it shows the growing commercial appeal of the facility we are developing because of the unique infrastructure we will have on site. Nowhere else in Europe will have facilities like GCRE and that can be seen in the numbers of international teams wanting to come forward and work with us.”

Simon Jones, Chief Executive of GCRE Limited