Prospects for reducing GHG emissions

National strategic plans view the advance of railway transportation as a prerequisite for the country’s social and economic development and a key step towards decarbonisation of Russia’s transportation system. That said, Russian Railways expects an increase in freight and passenger turnover to be followed by growing energy and fuel consumption. In the near future, the Company will actively use low-carbon sources and take further steps to improve energy saving and efficiency.

Russian Railways’ Environmental Strategy through 2030 with an outlook through 2035 envisages the following initiatives.

• Traction energy:
  • large-scale electrification of diesel-driven railway sections;
  • transitioning to natural gas for autonomous locomotives;
  • creating experimental passenger trains using hydrogen fuel cells;
• Non-traction energy:
  • shutdown of fuel oil and coal boiler houses and transitioning to clean energy sources;
  • a wider use of renewable energy.

Energy efficiency and saving projects will enable the Company to reduce per unit electricity and diesel consumption in train traction, per unit energy and fuel consumption for heat supply in boiler houses, wear and tear of heating, water supply and disposal infrastructure, and losses in heat networks. An ongoing electrification of key routes in freight and passenger transportation will further increase the share of electricity and low-carbon energy in the Company’s energy and fuel mix.