Electric Railways: Only About 20 Km of New Overhead Lines by 2024 - A Sluggish Pace
New Overhead Line Expansion: Anticipated to install approximately 20 km of new tracks on the rail network by 2024 - New rail infrastructure expansion: just approximately 20 kilometers of new power lines expected by 2024.
Let's take a closer look at the pace of electrification in Germany's rail network. Last year, merely around 20 kilometers of electrified tracks were added, according to the Alliance pro Schiene and the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV). This isn't nearly enough, they say.
Currently, just over 62% of Germany's railway tracks are electrified, but the real number for rail traffic powered electrically is significantly higher at 90%. That's because the heavy routes are usually equipped with overhead lines.
The Alliance pro Schiene demands that the German rail network be outfitted with 80% overhead lines by 2035. To reach this goal, around 600 kilometers of electrification would need to be built each year. However, up until now, only 75 kilometers of overhead lines have been built annually in the state-owned railway network. That's quite a gap.
There are reasons to believe expansion could speed up significantly in the future. Firstly, the incoming federal government appears to have recognized the need for electrification, though the coalition agreement doesn't specify any specific targets for overhead lines. Instead, they plan to scrap the cost-benefit ratio, which means that it's no longer necessary to prove each electrification project is economically viable.
Secondly, future financing for electrification might be more readily available. According to the coalition agreement, electrification will be financed from the government's climate and transformation fund, which has significantly more resources available. With these two measures, it's reasonable to expect expansion to increase eightfold.
It's important to note that the electrification of railway connections to European neighboring countries is crucial, especially with respect to the growing significance of military transports by rail. Currently, only 28 of 57 border crossings are equipped with overhead lines, particularly at the borders with Poland and the Czech Republic, posing a significant catch-up need.
- Railway Network
- Electrification
- Germany
- Overhead Line
- Dirk Flege
- Diesel Locomotive
- Berlin
- Coalition Agreement
- Alliance SE
- Association of German Transport Companies
Enrichment Data:
The transport sector in Germany is struggling to meet climate transition goals due to high emissions and the need for decarbonization[3]. The new government is focusing on increasing rail investments and supporting green alternatives[1].
Siemens Mobility is working on hydrogen trains in Bavaria, aiming to eliminate CO₂ emissions from non-electrified routes by 2030[5]. This project is part of larger efforts to decarbonize transportation.
Germany's new 500-billion-euro fund for infrastructure and climate projects could support substantial upgrades to the railway network, though specific electrification targets are not mentioned[1]. For more detailed targets, you may want to consult reports or press releases directly from Alliance pro Schiene or the Association of German Transport Companies.
- The Alliance pro Schiene, in conjunction with the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV), hopes to enhance vocational training for railway professionals, as it will be essential in meeting the ambitious goal of electrifying 80% of Germany's railway tracks by 2035.
- Environmental-science and technology should play a crucial role in the community policy regarding railway electrification, focusing on minimizing the environmental impact of these projects and promoting energy-efficient solutions.
- As the pace of electrification in Germany's rail network is currently sluggish, vocational training programs focusing on the installation, maintenance, and upgrading of overhead lines could provide a solution to the identified gap in annual electrification projects.
- With the potential for substantial finance from the government's climate and transformation fund and the scrapping of the cost-benefit ratio, there exists an opportunity to increase vocational training programs focused on overhead line installation and maintenance, leading to an eight-fold speedup in electrification projects.
