Safe and healthy rail travel

The climate is right for trains

Ten years ago, in 2009 we launched our The Climate is Right for Trains initiative to reinforce the advantages of low-emission rail transport. Today, this declaration is truer than ever.

It’s no secret that the world is undergoing a period of dramatic change. Population is booming and it’s estimated that by 2050 the planet will be supporting 9.8 billion people. At the same time, demographic shifts mean that over half of them will be gravitating to urban spaces with projections showing that by 2030 there will be 43 global megacities of over ten million inhabitants each. This is all occurring in a context of dwindling resources and environmental uncertainty.

The good news is that Bombardier Transportation is ideally positioned to take a leading role in delivering holistic solutions to these global challenges.

But we aren’t stopping there. Now more than ever, the Climate is Right for Trains and we are committed to the constant development of even more eco-friendly mobility solutions that drive opportunity and prosperity while also moving the planet towards a more sustainable future for the next generation. It's what we do, and here is how we do it.

#Anchor : Mobility solutions & services

Smart sustainable mobility solutions

At Bombardier Transportation, we’re tackling these challenges head on. Our smart mobility solutions combine energy-conserving technology with optimal safety, reliability and cost efficiency. Pushing ever further, we focus on developing environmentally friendly products that stand the test of time by operating efficiently for decades to come.

Converting to full battery-powered mobility

The world's first hybrid train, the Autorail à Grande Capacité (AGC) was designed and built by innovative engineers at our Crespin site. Today we are helping France eliminate diesel power on its rail network by converting France's largest regional fleet eco-friendly battery propulsion.

Replace inefficient diesel power with clean battery propulsion
Support the elimination of diesel fleets in France
Batteries store energy lost while braking
Upgrade included in mid-life overhaul

Fast construction with minimal environmental impact

Equipped with state-of-the-art features for carbon neutral, emission-free operation, the driverless INNOVIA monorail system is an efficient and cost-effective mass-transit solution specially designed for urban applications.

Automated operation optimizes energy performance
Regenerative braking
Innovative design reduces weight and energy needs: fewer wheels, lighter carbody, permanent magnet motor
Slim guideway minimizes land use

Reduce energy consumption by up to 15 per cent with optimized driving

Our EBI Drive 50 technology helps vehicles drivers conserve energy by actively helping them optimize their driving. The system dynamically calculates track topography and vehicle performance and compares it with the train’s route and position.

Lowers traction energy consumption by up to 15%
Reduces wheel, engine, brake and track wear
Quick return on investment
Consistently punctual trains
Applicable for all engine types

Reduce your vehicle’s weight

The lightweight FLEXX Eco bogie’s reliability and operational success has been proven by its nearly 1,000 use cases worldwide.

Extremely compact and low weight design reduces bogie and unsprung mass by 30 per cent
Significantly lowers energy consumption and noise emissions
Less required space enables more aerodynamically-efficient solutions

Automated vehicle inspection system for sustainable performance

Our Automated Vehicle Inspection System (AVIS) solution improves efficiency and operation by forecasting a vehicle’s key components and alerting on maintenance needs before they arise.

Reduced material consumption and less waste
Sustainable use of raw materials
Enhanced efficiency and optimized fleet maintenance profile

Reduce your energy consumption by to 35 per cent with silicon carbide converters

Bombardier’s latest energy-saving propulsion technology enables more sustainable urban transit systems with lower energy consumption and noise levels.

Energy reductions of up to 35 per cent
19dB reduction in noise emissions
The SiC converter is 51 per cent smaller and weighs 22 per cent less than a conventional converter

#Anchor : Climate innovation

Our Climate Innovation Committee

Long recognized as a responsible corporate citizen, Bombardier Transportation has recently launched a global, cross-functional working group to develop and deliver climate innovation solutions for our customers and our stakeholders.

Drawing on our considerable expertise in energy management, propulsion, manufacturing, and our innovative spirit, our Climate Innovation Committee is collaborating across functions, divisions and geographies to further decarbonise rail infrastructure - already the most sustainable mode of motorized transportation.

In the spirit of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal 17 that focuses on building partnerships, our Climate Innovation committee meets regularly to share customer initiatives around sustainability, to exchange best practices, and to ensure Bombardier Transportation’s green mobility strategy is designed and implemented to deliver maximum impact across our diverse, global business.

Climate innovation, supported by digitalization, is the way forward for our business, our customers and our industry.

New digital solutions — With a broad mandate, our Climate Innovation Committee is currently focusing on the UNSDG number 17, where partneships in renewable energy, electric feeder transit, innovative energy storage and green finance, all contribute to an evolving green mobility strategy.

#Anchor : Our impact

Reducing our environmental impact

Rail is the fastest way to save the planet, but there is still more work to be done.

According to the European Environment Agency, transportation accounts for around one third of energy consumption in the EU and more than a fifth of greenhouse gas emissions. It is also responsible for a large share of urban air and noise pollution.

That’s why we are reducing our environmental footprint and improving how we use our resources to increase our efficiency and do our part to protect the environment today and for the future. We recognize the important responsibility we have to mitigate the impact our products and operations have on the environment. In 2003, we became the first rail manufacturer to sign the International Association of Public Transport’s (UITP) Charter on Sustainable Development.

Bombardier Inc. was also recognized on the 2019 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World Index. Learn more about Sustainability at Bombardier.

Environmental management at Bombardier

Today all our eligible Bombardier sites are certified or in the process of obtaining their certification, by external parties according to the ISO 14001 Standard for Environmental Management. We have also recently completed an effort to bring our systems in line with the revised 2015 version of ISO 14001.

While our relative energy consumption remained stable, we met our five-year target having reduced our absolute energy consumption by 4 per cent. Our teams have been working hard to reduce the environmental impact of our operations and meet our five-year targets:

Reduce absolute energy consumption, GHG emissions, water consumption and waste by one per cent;
Reduce relative water consumption and waste by one per cent and energy consumption and GHG emissions by three per cent per 200,000 worked hours and
Increase waste valorization by three per cent

In 2018, we implemented the following energy saving practices in our facilities:

Provided recycled water in our Headquarter office in Berlin;
Became a paperless company;
Installed LED lights, heat recovering and inverter air condition units at our Morocco site;
Reduced our absolute water consumption by 8 per cent and our waste generation by 5 per cent when compared to 2013 and
Decreased hazardous waste by 26 per cent

Energy consumption

The majority of our direct energy consumption is driven by production and fluctuating heating or cooling demands. To reduce our impact, our efforts have focused on improving energy efficiency, including through LED lighting retrofits, compressor heat recovery systems and new inverter air conditioning units. In 2018, we also installed a new building control management system to regulate and optimize lighting, air conditioning and ventilation at our Morocco site. While our relative energy consumption remained stable, we met our five-year target having reduced our absolute energy consumption by four per cent.

Water consumption and waste generation

We also achieved all our water consumption and waste generation targets. In 2018, we reduced our absolute water consumption by eight per cent when compared to 2013 – mainly due to the installation of new water meters and water leak repairs at our sites. We also reduced our absolute waste generation by five per cent compared to 2013. Notably, we successfully decreased hazardous waste by 26 per cent and exceeded our five-year target for waste valorization reaching an efficiency rate of 84 per cent in 2018.

Greenhouse gas emissions

Furthermore, we have successfully reduced our operations’ greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Our relative GHG emissions per-working hour has decreased by eight per cent and our absolute emissions have decreased by eleven per cent compared to 2013.

In addition to our energy efficiency projects, we benefited from renewable energy sources available at some of our sites. In 2018, more than 35 per cent of our energy requirements for electricity were supplied by renewable electricity sources. As we increased production in major growth programs in 2019, we have committed to a one-year target to sustain our 2018 results through this pivotal year.

#Anchor : Mobility stories