TRACTION DECARBONISATION NETWORK STRATEGY
INTERIM PROGRAMME BUSINESS CASE
Executive Summary
CO2
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Climate change is a real and growing threat. Every year, across the planet, weather records are broken, and we see more frequent extreme weather, from flooding to drought. It is
becoming increasingly urgent for countries and businesses across the world, to protect the planet for future generations.
In June 2019 the UK Government set out a legislative target to achieve ‘net zero’ greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. For rail specifically the Department for Transport (DfT) asked
the rail industry to explore whether it would be possible to remove all diesel-only trains from the network by 2040 in England and Wales. The Scottish Government also set a target to
decarbonise domestic passenger rail services by 2035.
The railway plays a vital role in supporting the economy and connecting communities across Britain. It is already the most environmentally friendly mode of public transport,
contributing less than one per cent of UK annual greenhouse gas emissions. Rail has the potential to move large volumes of people and goods reliably with zero carbon emissions with
current technology. We have a huge opportunity to play an important part in a green economic recovery following the Coronavirus pandemic and tackling climate change.
Today, traction energy accounts for the vast majority of rail’s carbon emissions. As our power supply comes from nuclear energy, it is logical that we immediately focus on reducing diesel
train usage on our network with the ultimate goal of removing them entirely.
Over the last year Network Rail has worked collaboratively with the rail industry to establish how we can best work together to achieve this. The result of this work is the Traction
Decarbonisation Network Strategy (TDNS) and I am delighted that we are now able to set out the different ways how we could minimise direct carbon emissions from trains.
This strategy sets out why decarbonising rail traction is so important and considers the three main ways of doing it – overhead electrification, battery and hydrogen fuel cells. It then
looks at every section of unelectrified line in the country to see where each solution can be most effectively used. While more work is still needed, in particular the development of
regional delivery plans, this strategy will support and inform policy and funding decisions on what needs to be achieved and when.
Carrying out this work in a way that is efficient and represents best possible value for money is essential. This strategy shows that the best way of doing this includes a long-term, stable
and efficient programme of electrification which will last for at least thirty years, alongside the introduction of new technology. If we can do this, I am confident that rail will play a vital
role in helping build Britain back better and achieve the Government’s commitment to achieve net zero by 2050.
Paul McMahon,
Managing director System Operator
FOREWORD
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Reducing carbon emissions in rail is critical. It brings benefits directly to the rail industry and, by decarbonising transport overall, important knock-on
benefits across the transport sector and wider economy.
These benefits can be organised into six key themes:
Emissions
Reduction
Surface Transport
Decarbonisation
Passenger and
Freight End User
Direct Rail
Benefits
Environmental
Benefits
Wider Economy
Benefits
Climate Change is a global
threat.
Paris Agreement has set
ambitious targets for global
average temperature rise.
Rail is already a green mode
of transport.
Potential to reduce overall
emissions from transport by
encouraging more people to
choose rail over other forms
of transport.
Reliability and resilience
need to be improved.
Capacity shortfall in some
areas of the network.
Rail requires significant
investment for ongoing
operations, maintenance
and renewals.
Cost efficiency is critical.
Introduction of ULEZ and
CAZ around the UK.
Strong focus on air quality
from local, regional and
national governments.
UK Net-Zero Target.
Getting to Net Zero requires
significant infrastructure
investment.
Net Zero GHG by 2050 for
UK as a whole.
Other national and
regional
targets and aspirations for
pre 2050.
NR science-based target of
27.5% reduction fortraction
by 2029.
Modal shift from road and
air to rail.
Even better if rail itself is
decarbonised.
Additional investment
required to increase
capacity.
Improving resilience to allow
passengers and freight to
rely on rail.
Increasing capacity
improves customer
experience and
opportunities.
Achieving cost efficiency
provides sustainable pricing
for passengers, customers
and government.
Provide a longer-term
solution to air quality issues.
Support decision making
from rail industry Air Quality
Strategic Framework
for short-term solutions
required.
Traction decarbonisation
programme will require
skilled workers around the
UK to deliver infrastructure
and rolling stock.
Ending rail’s contribution
to emissions by removing
diesel trains.
Further minimizing carbon
emissions through optimised
cascade of the cleanest
compliant diesel trains.
Safety improvements for
users compared with roads.
Congestion reduction on
roads.
Road maintenance cost
savings benefits.
Cross-modal cost saving
with combined refuelling/
recharging infrastructure
Faster journeys.
Improved reliability.
Greater tonnes hauled in
same train paths.
Improved resilience through
electrifying diversionary
routes.
Reduced rolling stock
maintenance costs.
Reduced track access
charges.
Reduced fuel costs.
Longer-term air quality
solution for stations, depots
and freight.
Supporting rail industry Air
Quality Strategic Framework.
Noise reduction.
Increase jobs in design,
integration, management,
manufacturing and
construction.
“Level Up” economy through
job creation away from
London and South East.
The case for change
Strategic objectives
Strategic benefits
THE DECARBONISATION CHALLENGE
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The Rail Industry Decarbonisation Taskforce has identified three possible traction technologies which are sufficiently mature to replace diesel – battery, electric and hydrogen. Each of
these technologies has different technical capabilities which mean that not all are suitable for all types of rail services.
Battery and hydrogen technologies are
unsuitable for long-distance high-speed
and freight services as these services
have higher energy needs than battery
and hydrogen can provide.
Electric traction is incredibly versatile in
that it can successfully provide energy
for all types of journeys. But it relies on
fixed infrastructure to transmit electricity
and this infrastructure has a relatively
high capital cost compared with battery
and hydrogen technology.
These technical and cost implications
have been used to develop a ‘decision
tree’ to identify areas of the rail network
where one technology is most suitable.
For example, only electrification is
suitable for areas where trains travel
at more than 100mph or where there
are lots of freight services. Equally
the capital costs required to deliver
electrification mean that battery and
hydrogen may offer a better value for
money way of achieving a zero-carbon
railway in areas of the network where
fewer trains run.
MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS
Passenger
(75mph)
Passenger
(100mph)
Passenger
(125mph) Freight
BATTERY
ELECTRIC
HYDROGENH
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By applying this approach to the 15,400 single track kilometres (STK) of unelectrified rail network in Great
Britain, we have calculated a need to provide:
Of the 2,300 STKs where “multiple options” could be delivered, operational and economic analysis has
identified a further 1,340 STKs of electrification, battery operation over an additional 400 STKs and
hydrogen operation over an additional 400 STKs.
That leaves us with 260 STKs of infrastructure where no clear decision has yet been made but a likely
technology is identified within the TDNS National Recommendations document. Further work at a local
level will be needed to confirm this.
In some areas of the network which are particularly busy electrification may also represent the most
sensible option, even though it would be technically possible to use battery and hydrogen. These areas of
the network are identified as ‘multiple options’ where further economic and operational analysis is needed
before the best choice of technology can be decided.