Eco-friendly railways


Railways strive fo S


This month’s 12th UIC Sustainability Conference in Venice will highlight the latest efforts by the world’s railways to improve their green credentials. Alexander Veitch, UIC’s head of sustainable development, explained to Kevin Smith where railways are strong, and where they can still improve.


WISS Federal Railways (SBB) prides itself on efficiency, reliability and the fact that per head of population it is one of the world’s most heavily used railways. The Swiss are also particularly


proud of their rail system’s sustainability. Preserving the environment is now considered so important that it is at the heart of SBB’s company strategy which includes a pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% from 1990 levels by 2020. The entirely electrified network already sources around 75% of its energy from SBB’s own hydro-electric power stations, and the railway says that it is constantly looking at new technologies to reduce noise and vibrations from its trains. SBB is certainly not alone in subscribing to a green agenda. All members of the Community of European Railways (CER) and European Infrastructure Managers signed up to the 30% reduction pledge in 2009 with various efforts to source energy from renewable sources underway. For example, German Rail (DB) is purchasing 19.8% of its electricity from renewable sources, well above its 15-16% target, while Finland’s VR has switched its energy source entirely to hydro-electric power,


halving its CO2 output. In Belgium, infrastructure manager Infrabel has fitted the roof of the Schoten Rail Tunnel near Antwerp with 17,820 solar panels. Covering a total length of 3.4km, it is now generating 3300MW of electricity annually. Mr Alex Veitch, the International Union of Railways’ (UIC) head of sustainable development, says these


examples coupled with evidence the association has compiled in a series of reports clearly demonstrates that railways are buying into the clean and green transport debate. In Europe while traffic levels have remained relatively static in the past


20 years, CO2 emissions have been reduced by 32% overall, including 20% in the passenger sector, and 38% from freight. European railways are now sourcing on average 30% of their electricity from renewable sources. In China, railway transport has increased dramatically over the last decade, which is matched by an improvement in efficiency. Veitch is also encouraged by the


rhetoric from developing rail markets. In Morocco rail projects are depicted as part of the country’s sustainable transport future, while the Rio de Janeiro - São Paulo high-speed line project in Brazil is played up as a green transport solution. “The sustainability efforts that we have identified are currently very European orientated, with most of the emphasis on improving energy efficiency, reducing air pollution and noise emissions, but we are trying to widen this knowledge to members further afield, to understand what they might be doing already, and where they might be able to do more,” Veitch says. “There is evidence that


railways in Korea and Japan are just as good if not better at promoting sustainability than their European counterparts.” Veitch says that the widespread push for electrification in Europe in particular has contributed massively to rail’s green image. In 2009 53% of lines were electrified compared with 30% in 1990 with 80% of traffic now using electric trains. SNCB in Belgium uses electric traction on 95% of its passenger services and 83% of SNCB logistics services. Coupled with diesel locomotive renewal, this has enabled the railway to reduce exhaust emissions by 75-90% over the past 20 years. Improving the efficiency of operations by reducing energy consumption is another area that railways are embracing mainly because it comes with the added attraction of reducing costs. Railways used 13% less energy in 2009 than they did in 1990 per passenger-km, and 19% less per tonne of freight. For example, Turkish State Railways (TCDD), Slovenian Railways (SZ), Spanish


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52