Expansion of renewable energies in traction current

Building a diversified portfolio for economically viable and secure energy supply with a growing share of renewable energies is a core element of our green strategy. Power purchase agreements (PPA) have become an integral element of procurement activities. Accordingly, 20 new PPAs were signed in 2023. These include:

• seven offshore PPAs (three offshore wind farms),
• six onshore PPAs (ten onshore wind farms),
• six PV PPAs (15 solar parks), and
• one hydropower PPA (two run-of-river power plants).

For example, a long-term supply agreement was concluded with EnBW for the supply of electricity from the North Sea wind farm He Dreiht. Green power from the wind farm will be supplied to DB Group for 15 years, saving up to 60,000 tons of CO₂ per year.

DB Energy is therefore pressing ahead with the integration of renewable energies in the German electricity market. This structure within the PPA portfolio allows the special characteristics of green electricity supplies (discontinuous generation, price and forecast risks) to be managed in the best possible way.

Strategically, DB Energy is preparing to integrate battery storage systems into the PPA portfolio.

Energy supply for alternative drives

In addition to the further electrification of the rail network, DB Energy is also implementing supply solutions for rolling stock with alternative drives. DB Energy is pursuing a number of different technological approaches in this regard:

• In 2023, further progress was made on implementing charging infrastructure for regional rail passenger transport trains in the Schleswig-Holstein battery network. By mid-2024, DB Energy and DB InfraGO will install three overhead wire island systems including charging substations to supply traction current to battery-powered trains.
• DB Energy and Erzgebirgsbahn are involved in a research and development cooperation with various partners from the fields of industry and research at the Railway Research Campus SRCC. As part of this, an innovative pilot charging station for battery-powered trains was put into operation in Annaberg-Buchholz in mid-2023.
• In 2023, DB Energy won a tender process for the Bavarian regional railway, Bayerische Regiobahn (BRB), and will supply green hydrogen to the first hydrogen train for Bavaria. DB Energy is building the hydrogen infrastructure for this in Augsburg. Passenger services on the BRB hydrogen multiple unit train will start in 2024.
• DB Energy has further expanded its supply of the climate-friendly biofuel HVO: at the end of 2023, HVO was available at 14 rail gas stations. The service will be available at additional rail gas stations in 2024.
• DB Energy is a project partner in a joint project funded by the BMDV between DB Group and Siemens Mobility for the approval and testing of the Mireo Plus H fuel cell electric multiple unit, which has been newly developed by Siemens Mobility, for regional rail passenger transport. DB Energy is responsible for developing an innovative supply infrastructure for hydrogen. The innovative green hydrogen infra­structure system will be tested in Tübingen in 2024.