The ink is not yet dry, but the agreement is in place. From 1 January 2025, the entire electrified rail network in the Netherlands will be supplied with renewable power. The tender process conducted by the Dutch railway company Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) was won by the energy suppliers PZEM and Shell, who will supply sustainable electricity for all Dutch railways for three years starting in 2025, with an annual volume of 1.46 terawatt hours. DB Cargo Nederland will be another company to benefit from this, as the contract covers the Betuweroute, a rail line extending from the port of Rotterdam to Zevenaar near the border with Germany that is used exclusively for rail freight transport.
Easy access to renewable power in the Dutch rail network
Until now, companies had to sign two contracts - one for the Betuweroute and one for the rest of the Dutch rail network. The new contract is therefore a significant improvement in this regard and presents less of an obstacle to rail freight operations in the Netherlands. A mixture of solar and wind energy sourced in Europe will be used in the future. Ben Appeldorn, Head of DB Cargo infra, is pleased with the deal: "I'm happy that we've succeeded in finding new suppliers in this difficult energy market."
Go
