British Columbia-based Ballard Power Systems and Alberta-based Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) have announced a new long-term supply agreement for the delivery of 98 fuel cell engines in 2025. These fuel cell engines, amounting to approximately 20 MW of power, will be utilized in the North American freight rail market, supporting CPKC's hydrogen locomotive program. Ballard Power's president and CEO expressed excitement over the opportunity to enhance their strategic partnership with CPKC, emphasizing the environmental benefits and operational advantages of hydrogen fuel cells for freight rail. CPKC's vision for decarbonization aligns with their confidence in hydrogen fuel cells as a viable long-term alternative to diesel engines, offering benefits such as long range, fast refueling, heavy payloads, and operation in cold weather conditions. Since their collaboration in 2021, the companies have been working on integrating fuel cell engines into hydrogen-powered locomotives, with retrofitted prototypes undergoing successful tests in 2022. These locomotives, featuring a combination of hydrogen fuel cells, storage systems, and batteries, will be deployed by CPKC in Alberta for switching and freight services, furthering their commitment to sustainability and innovation in the rail industry.