Renfe is established as Spain's most energy-efficient passenger and freight transport company on World Sustainable Transport Day. In 2023, the Renfe Group's emissions were of 4.31 g of CO2 per transport unit, i.e., the lowest unit emission figures in history.
Considering that the average emissions of the car fleet are 117 gr CO2/km, traveling by train emits 27 times less CO2 than if we travel alone in our own car.
Therefore, the daily operations of Renfe's passenger and freight trains reduce the emission levels by 4.1 million tons of CO2 per year, with energy savings of over 1.1 million tons of oil equivalent.
Efficient driving systems
One of the keys to achieving such an energy-efficient operation and the reduction in the consumption of energy was the fleet's renewal, which focused on the maximisation of performance with minimum energy consumption. In this line, trains feature built-in efficient driving systems, which are integrated with the automatic driving modes.
Thanks to the efficient driving of its 5,200 train drivers, Renfe has reduced energy consumption by 30%, while the use of regenerative braking allows up to 40% of the energy in Cercanías to be returned to the network.
At the same time, Renfe continues to invest in reducing the acoustic impact of its trains to avoid alterations in natural and urban environments. By using synthetic brake pads, Renfe is one of the railway companies in Europe with the "quietest" train fleet, reducing the noise produced by conventional brake systems by up to 8 decibels.
100% of passenger trains and 66.1% of freight trains use low-noise brakes. Thanks to these low unit emissions, Renfe has become a sustainability provider in the transport sector for its customers, in line with the guidelines of the European Green Deal.
With regard to traction electricity consumption with certificates of renewable origin, according to data from the 2023 Statement of Non-Financial Information, the amount of traction electricity consumed was 2,242.43 GWh, with a total specific consumption of 86.84 Wh/Transported Load. This figure represents a competitive advantage in terms of energy efficiency of between 5 and 10 times compared to direct competitors, being even higher in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.
Pioneering measures
Renfe has also implemented pioneering measures, in line with its sustainability, energy efficiency and integrated mobility goals, such as the commissioning of a pilot photovoltaic energy plant for self-consumption of trains in the town of Olmedo, Valladolid, which will be the first of its kind to be developed in Spain.
With an investment of 27 million euros, this pilot plant will serve for the launch of a project of up to 34 photovoltaic plants throughout Spain, with an overall investment of 350 million euros.
Moreover, Renfe Mercancías is developing a pilot project with HVO biofuel as part of its energy transition strategy.
Measures to reduce energy consumption
Renfe Viajeros y Mercancías has also implemented a series of measures to reduce energy consumption, including: installation of photovoltaic panels in 14 maintenance bases for self-consumption of electricity; "carbon neutral" certification given by AENOR for all electric passenger and freight trains; commissioning of electric trains to replace diesel trains, such as the new Alvia services in Extremadura; or models with a more modern and efficient electric traction motor, such as the new S106.
For its part, in the field of Renfe Mercancías, 12 new high-power electric locomotives have been put into service to operate on the Iberian gauge. And in the field of Cercanías, thanks to the 'Combinado Cercanías' product by which users can start or end their journeys on High Speed trains (AVE), Alvia, Euromed or Intercity using Cercanías trains at no additional cost, the need to depend on the car is eliminated.
Likewise, the implementation of season passes for the Renfe Cercanías (Commuter), Media Distancia (Mid-distance) and Avant (mid-distance high-speed) services have helped reduce the use of private vehicles, while also reducing the dependence on energy and carbon footprint. In the same way, Renfe continues to promote the combination of train and bicycle in the Cercanías hubs, without time limitations or additional costs.
With these actions, Renfe strengthens its leadership as a driver of sustainable mobility and its commitment to a cleaner and more efficient future for Spain, while making a substantial impact on the mitigation of climate change, in compliance with the applicable European regulations.