Although rail is not the biggest polluter of the modes of transport, the SNCF unveiled, on Tuesday, its objectives in terms of emissions, to answer the climatic urgency.
The heat wave that hits most of metropolitan France at the end of June sounds like yet another call to order and comes especially to strengthen the urgency of an awareness of climate issues, which must be global. Although transporting 10% of passengers and goods, the share of rail represents only 1.6% of energy consumption and 0.6% of CO2 emissions on all modes of transport. But the SNCF takes its share of responsibility by detailing its double ambition: " strengthen its contribution to France's 2050 net zero emission target and continue to reduce its environmental footprint. "
To reach a neutral of its emissions in fifteen years while the number of passengers and goods should increase by more than 20% before 2050, the SNCF must refresh its railway equipment.
For this, the company plans to circulate a first hybrid train by 2020, once the test phases are validated. SNCF is currently testing with Alstom (in partnership with the Center-Val de Loire, Grand Est, Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie regions) a hybrid TER that combines different energy sources such as catenary power supply, thermal engines, and diesel engines. energy stored in the batteries.
Concretely, the hybrid train allows a 20% reduction in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Better, it no longer emits the slightest pollution in urban areas because, at the entrance of a city, it cuts off its engine and switches to battery, using the stored braking energy, then recovered. The batteries are, they, solicited in addition during the acceleration phases, and can reduce costs per kilometer by half.
Ideally, the SNCF hopes for a commercial circulation of hybrid trains in 2021 and a serial deployment the following year. So things will go very fast.
The other solution favored by SNCF is the hydrogen train. By emitting only water vapor, it is the ideal way to achieve zero emissions (CO2, pollutants and fine particles included) and to give life to the ambition of the railway company to get out of diesel. here 2035.
" The motorization of this train is based on hydrogen, which can be used as fuel, or by reacting it with oxygen in a hydrogen fuel cell, to produce electricity supplying electric motors ", explains the public company.
About fifteen new trains could be ordered from this year by the regions already positioned to conduct an experiment: New Aquitaine, Occitanie, the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region, the Grand Est and the Bourgogne-Franche Comté region. To finance the hydrogen train, the costs will be shared between the state, the regions, and industrialists. The costs of studying and producing the first prototype have been estimated at 59 million euros. The state has pledged to contribute 22 million euros.
Let us not forget the biofuels, such as biodiesel from rapeseed produced in France and the frugal electrification combined with the train, which the SNCF keeps in a corner of its head.
In addition to the zero emission by 2035, the SNCF aims to achieve another major pro-environmental goal: zero waste by 2035. It is based on a real circular economy. It starts with network maintenance operations, with the reuse and recycling of deposit products such as rails, timber, and concrete sleepers and ballast.
SNCF indicates that recycling has generated 45 million euros in revenue in 2018. Above all, it makes it possible to avoid the extraction phase, which consumes so much water and energy. SNCF Réseau now has 130 million tonnes of reusable materials that will be recycled, reused or resold to the sector.
The principle is the same for rolling stock. Once reached the end of life, an oar is full of materials that feed recycling channels such as steel, glass, copper, rubber, plastic, foams and textiles. " Passenger equipment is recycled to 92% of their mass, " says SNCF, which recycles 55,000 tons of materials every year.
Finally, the SNCF is deploying throughout France a brand new type of sorting bins in stations , intended to reduce waste and ensure their recycling. Because the users too, must participate.
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| hybrid trains from 2020 |
The heat wave that hits most of metropolitan France at the end of June sounds like yet another call to order and comes especially to strengthen the urgency of an awareness of climate issues, which must be global. Although transporting 10% of passengers and goods, the share of rail represents only 1.6% of energy consumption and 0.6% of CO2 emissions on all modes of transport. But the SNCF takes its share of responsibility by detailing its double ambition: " strengthen its contribution to France's 2050 net zero emission target and continue to reduce its environmental footprint. "
Hybrid trains in circulation in 2021, in series from 2022
To reach a neutral of its emissions in fifteen years while the number of passengers and goods should increase by more than 20% before 2050, the SNCF must refresh its railway equipment.
For this, the company plans to circulate a first hybrid train by 2020, once the test phases are validated. SNCF is currently testing with Alstom (in partnership with the Center-Val de Loire, Grand Est, Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie regions) a hybrid TER that combines different energy sources such as catenary power supply, thermal engines, and diesel engines. energy stored in the batteries.
Concretely, the hybrid train allows a 20% reduction in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Better, it no longer emits the slightest pollution in urban areas because, at the entrance of a city, it cuts off its engine and switches to battery, using the stored braking energy, then recovered. The batteries are, they, solicited in addition during the acceleration phases, and can reduce costs per kilometer by half.
Ideally, the SNCF hopes for a commercial circulation of hybrid trains in 2021 and a serial deployment the following year. So things will go very fast.
 |
| The hydrogen train |
The hydrogen train, an idea that still has to find actors to finance it
The other solution favored by SNCF is the hydrogen train. By emitting only water vapor, it is the ideal way to achieve zero emissions (CO2, pollutants and fine particles included) and to give life to the ambition of the railway company to get out of diesel. here 2035.
" The motorization of this train is based on hydrogen, which can be used as fuel, or by reacting it with oxygen in a hydrogen fuel cell, to produce electricity supplying electric motors ", explains the public company.
About fifteen new trains could be ordered from this year by the regions already positioned to conduct an experiment: New Aquitaine, Occitanie, the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region, the Grand Est and the Bourgogne-Franche Comté region. To finance the hydrogen train, the costs will be shared between the state, the regions, and industrialists. The costs of studying and producing the first prototype have been estimated at 59 million euros. The state has pledged to contribute 22 million euros.
Let us not forget the biofuels, such as biodiesel from rapeseed produced in France and the frugal electrification combined with the train, which the SNCF keeps in a corner of its head.
Zero waste target by 2035
In addition to the zero emission by 2035, the SNCF aims to achieve another major pro-environmental goal: zero waste by 2035. It is based on a real circular economy. It starts with network maintenance operations, with the reuse and recycling of deposit products such as rails, timber, and concrete sleepers and ballast.
SNCF indicates that recycling has generated 45 million euros in revenue in 2018. Above all, it makes it possible to avoid the extraction phase, which consumes so much water and energy. SNCF Réseau now has 130 million tonnes of reusable materials that will be recycled, reused or resold to the sector.
The principle is the same for rolling stock. Once reached the end of life, an oar is full of materials that feed recycling channels such as steel, glass, copper, rubber, plastic, foams and textiles. " Passenger equipment is recycled to 92% of their mass, " says SNCF, which recycles 55,000 tons of materials every year.
Finally, the SNCF is deploying throughout France a brand new type of sorting bins in stations , intended to reduce waste and ensure their recycling. Because the users too, must participate.
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