Passenger sector records decrease in CO2 e emissions
THE level of CO e emissions and emissions per passenger kilometre on passenger trains decreased in the 12 months to March 2020, despite an increase in both electricity and diesel usage.
Figures released by the Office of Rail and Road on November 5 reveal that for the April 2019March 2020 financial year, electricity usage for passenger trains increased by 5.3% compared with the previous 12-month period (up to 4,186 million kWh, and an increase in KTonnes CO e emissions of 1.4%).
However, while diesel usage by passenger trains also rose (up 1.5% to 476 million litres), a decrease in KTonnes CO e emissions of 5.8% was recorded.
The net result is a 2.7% drop in KTonnes CO e emissions and a 4.1% decrease in CO e emissions to 35.1g per passenger km - the lowest since the time series began in 2011-12.
ORR attributes this to a transition towards renewable energy sources in the electricity sector. It also says that passenger rail usage during the first quarter of 2020-21 was severely affected by lockdown as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, and that this is expected to have a large effect on emissions for the current financial year.
However, the amount of diesel consumed by freight trains increased to its highest level in five years (172 million litres, up 12.5% from 2018-19), while the freight sector’s electricity consumption dropped by 6.3% compared with the previous year (to 70 million kWh).
This resulted in a net increase of 3.6% in KTonnes CO e emissions compared with 2018-19 and an increase in CO e per tonne km of 8.6% - the highest since the series began in 2011-12.
ORR said in its statement that the amount of freight moved fell to 16.6 billion net tonne kms - 4.6% down from 2018-19 and the lowest in 23 years. The number of freight trains that ran in 201920 also decreased - by 5.2% to 209,281, the lowest since the time series began in 2003-04.
However, ORR also highlighted that moving freight from road to rail could reduce emissions by 19%, and that it forms part of the solution for Government to meet its legally-binding Fifth Carbon Budget which aims to reduce emissions by 57% in 2032 compared with 1990 levels, and to net-zero by 2050.
ORR figures for 2018 showed that 79% of all tonne km of domestic freight was carried by road, 13% by water and 9% by rail.
In releasing the figures, ORR also highlighted the Government’s challenge to remove all dieselonly trains from the network by 2040. ORR stated: “As rail traction accounts for the largest proportion of rail emissions, to achieve netzero, diesel traction will need to reduce. The alternatives to diesel passenger trains are battery, electric or hydrogen rolling stock.”
Overall figures from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) show that Transport is responsible for 28% of all greenhouse gas emissions in 2018 (the most recent figures).
It also showed that overall, transport made up more than a third of all the UK’s CO emissions (33.6%). Road travel is the largest source of emissions in the sector, with private cars making up the majority. Rail accounts for 0.5% of the UK’s total CO emissions, according to the BEIS figures.
At the Rail Freight Group (RFG) conference, held virtually on October 13, it was highlighted that half of the UK freight locomotive fleet will be 30 years old and due for replacement by 2035, which would create an opportunity for the sector to investigate alternative power.
DB Cargo UK has spoken of a desire to operate more electrichauled trains, while Freightliner is looking to do similar having purchased 13 Class 90s from Porterbrook. GB Railfreight uses electric Class 92s on freight, mainly on High Speed 1, while Direct Rail Services has ten bi-mode Class 88s that can operate away from the wires.