Thursday, 19 November 2020
Deutsche Bahn (DB) has signed three new Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), which should secure around 780 GWh of green energy during the delivery period of the contracts.
Dr. Richard Lutz, CEO of DB lauded the deals as "the largest green traction current package in the history of DB and another milestone on the way to a completely green railway", further adding "We take responsibility and make the most climate-friendly means of transport even greener and more attractive".
Deutsche Bahn, already the largest green electricity consumer in Germany has set itself a target of 100% renewable electricity usage by 2038. Currently, the renewables share in electricity for Deutsche Bahn is 61%. At current trajectories, the renewables mix should reach 80% by 2030.
The renewable wind energy will come from the Amrumbank-West offshore windfarm, with the PPA inked with RWE Supply and Trading to run for 15 years from 2024 to 2039. The PPA covers 288 MW of capacity and is expected to amount to 260 MWh of green electricity per year for Deutsche Bahn.
Prior collaborations between RWE and DB are well established. Since 2014 RWE hydropower plants have been supplying just under 900 MWh of green electricity to the railways every year.
Managing Director of RWE Supply and Trading, Andree Stracke said: “We are already supplying Deutsche Bahn with CO2-free electricity. With this further contract, we are helping our long-standing partner to achieve its ambitious climate protection goals. We are increasingly supplying and structuring green electricity for our industrial customers in Europe.”
However, the bulk of the 780 GWh/year package will be delivered via a PPA covering production from the Egglfing-Obernberg hydropower plant, on the border between Bavaria and Austria, amounting to 440 GWh a year commencing 2023.
The remainder (80 GWh/year) will be delivered by a solar park, currently under construction in Gaarz near Plau am See, with delivery to commence next year in 2021.
Sources