The Australasian Railway Association (ARA) has released a report detailing what needs to be done to prioritise the transition of Australia’s rail network to electric and renewable sources, and says freight operators may be forced to invest in new diesel trains if track electrification does not rapidly progress.
Rail freight is currently responsible for 16 times fewer carbon emissions than its trucking counterpart, however the ARA has blamed high track fees and lower road charges as a catalyst for the rapidly dwindling rail freight numbers in the country.
Just two per cent of the freight that travels between Melbourne and Sydney – one of Australia’s busiest routes – is by rail, compared to 40 per cent in the 1970s.
The ARA has calculated roughly half of the 2600 diesel trains in Australia will need to be replaced in the next eight to 13 years, and with only 11 per cent of heavy railways in Australia utilising overhead electrification, a “critical juncture” in the industry’s path to decarbonisation is close to being reached.
“The rollingstock purchased during this period will be in operation well beyond 2050 and must harness new technologies to deliver net zero operations,” the report says.
“Urgent action is needed to ensure we are ready for that transition when rollingstock is due to be replaced.
“If we miss the next key procurement window in 2032-2037, rail’s ability to meet net zero targets by 2050 will be at risk.”
“The effectiveness of these actions will reply on being undertaken in a coordinated, orderly and efficient manner. Therefore, developing a shared vision for the transition of the rail industry across industry and national and state/territory governments is a critical first step to guide these actions.”
Overhead electric rail is far from the only solution when it comes to decarbonising Australia’s rail industry, with the ARA suggesting an array of possible implementations that could help reduce the need for further investment in diesel locomotives.
“Electrification, along with battery, hydrogen and other zero emission alternative propulsion technologies are emerging as a focus and long-term solution within rolling stock decarbonisation plans both international and in Australia,” the report continues.
“Biofuels, renewable diesel and the use of bi-mode locomotives represent transitional solutions that can be increasingly deployed.
“This includes diesel-electric or battery-electric hybrid locomotives able to run on overhead power on electrified networks where available.
“Operators will likely focus on implementing efficiency improvements and transitional solutions to achieve emissions reductions in the near to medium term.
“Deep emission reductions from switching to alternative propulsion technologies will likely occur in the medium to long term as these technologies become commercially available and viable.”
A full copy of the ARA’s critical path to decarbonise Australia’s rail rollingstock is available here.
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