Rail Freight Decarbonization: Innovations and Economic Assessment

The energy transition in the transportation sector is one of the major challenges of the 21st century. As global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continue to rise, transportation now accounts for nearly 25% of these emissions, with a particularly concerning trend in freight transport. Among the various modes of transportation, rail remains by far the most environmentally friendly: it accounts for only a marginal fraction of the sector’s emissions, while handling a significant share of the volume transported. Globally, its emissions are estimated at approximately 95 MtCO ₂ per year  , or less than 1% of global energy-related emissions. In Europe, rail transport accounts for 3 MtCO ₂   . A significant portion of this total, however, comes from freight hauled by diesel locomotives, for which decarbonization remains a top priority.

In France, a paradox clearly illustrates the potential for improvement: nearly 80% of diesel freight train-kilometers were traveled under overhead wires (in 2018)  . This situation reflects technical constraints, unfavorable economic trade-offs, and the absence of an incentive framework robust enough to encourage the use of electric traction. Yet rail has considerable potential to contribute to the decarbonization of freight transport, provided that its technological, economic, and regulatory models are rethought in order to fully leverage its environmental advantages.

In this context, the rail industry is undergoing a profound transformation, marked by the emergence of alternatives to diesel: cost-effective electrification, batteries, hydrogen,...