On Friday 28 April, the Association of European Rail Rolling Stock Lessors (AERRL) published a roadmap for decarbonising rail transport. Together with other companies, it launched a study in July 2022 which shows that the entire rail sector needs to design a common strategy to complete the transition from fossil diesel.
The AERRL has shared an initial roadmap of technology alternatives for that years leading up to 2050, based on the results of this study. “While electrification remains the most efficient solution from a holistic perspective, complementary solutions can help to accelerate decarbonisation”, said the report.
Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), which is an advanced biodiesel, is ranked as an immediate candidate since it can reduce CO2 emissions by 85–90% and is easy to implement. Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) and Ammonia ICE are considered as short- to medium-term options. However, there are limitations to these proposals. As for hydrogen, “its ‘green production’ is still very limited and requires high expenditure”, it says.
AERRL suggested that the different stakeholders should come together in a “freight transport system for efficiency”, either organised by the European Commission or by a designated actor in the field.
Read the report: https://aeur.eu/f/6n6 (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)