EUROPE: The Association of European Rail Rolling Stock Lessors has begun the second phase of work to develop a roadmap to net zero for train operators.
Last year AERRL published its first phase decarbonisation report, which was produced by consultancy Eolos in partnership with the association’s members and Crédit Agricole CIB, ING, KfW IPEX-Bank and Société Générale. This identified and evaluated potential short to medium-term replacements for diesel traction.
In the second phase of the project AERRL will work with Eolos and Belgian infrastructure manager Infrabel to explore the feasibility of alternatives to conventional diesel fuel such as hydrotreated vegetable oil, ammonia and renewable natural gas, as well as looking at electric-battery and electro-diesel traction. These will be compared with diesel and full overhead electrification.
The study will look at three representative use cases:
- a long-distance multi-voltage freight route;
- short-distance domestic freight route;
- shunting in a port.
Infrabel will lead work on a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis to provide insights to guide future policy and investment decisions.
AERRL said it was aiming to take a leading role to co-develop and implement a roadmap for a net-zero rail fleet, and it wanted to encourage broad engagement across the rail sector and European institutions.
