Energy efficiency
Increasing energy efficiency is an important lever that contributes to achieving our 2040 climate protection target. Our measures include the ongoing modernization of our vehicle fleet and the reduction of our energy consumption. We are increasing DB Group’s energy efficiency in various projects and measures:
- The Group program Green Rail Technology was launched in 2024 and focuses on energy efficiency with 18 climate protection measures, for example for more efficient temperature management in vehicles, energy-saving automation in depots and energy analytics programs for energy savings in vehicles.
- As part of a study commissioned by DB Group, the Fraunhofer Institute and the Technical University (TU) Darmstadt have investigated in a pilot project the technical feasibility and potential of geothermal energy in tunnel construction to increase our energy efficiency. The investigations at the Pfaffensteig tunnel (Stuttgart — Ulm) showed a positive effect from the construction of geothermal systems in tunnel construction. This way, municipalities near rail tunnels can be supplied with heat from climate-friendly geothermal plants. The study was completed in 2024. The next step is to set up a pilot project.
- Furthermore, the feeding of converted braking energy No. 19 into the overhead wire and the ongoing modernization of our rail vehicle fleet make an important contribution to increasing energy efficiency. In 2024, the recovery rate increased to 18.7% (previous year: 17.9%). This is due to the growth in the fleet of vehicles capable of recovering braking energy, such as through the addition of further ICE trains.
- We train and support our multiple unit drivers in energy-saving driving. To that end, we are continually equipping our vehicles with driver assistance systems No. 8 such as LEADER at DB Cargo and RESY at DBRegional.
- Using longer trains at DB Cargo also helps us to further increase energy efficiency in rail freight transport.
| Specific primary energy consumption by DB Group journeys and transport | 2024 | 2023 | Change | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| absolute | % | ||||
| DB Group | |||||
| Regional rail passenger transport in Germany (MJ/pkm) | 0.62 | 0.68 | –0.06 | –8.8 | 0.82 |
| Long-distance rail passenger transportin Germany (MJ/pkm) | 0.22 | 0.21 | +0.01 | +4.8 | 0.23 |
| Bus transport in Germany (MJ/pkm) | 1.46 | 1.43 | +0.03 | +2.1 | 1.57 |
| Rail freight transport (MJ/tkm) | 0.27 | 0.31 | –0.04 | –12.9 | 0.28 |
| thereof in Germany | 0.26 | 0.27 | –0.01 | –3.7 | 0.26 |
| Discontinued operations 1) | |||||
| Regional rail passenger transport (MJ/pkm) | 0.93 | 0.99 | –0.06 | –6.1 | 0.89 |
| Bus transport (MJ/pkm) | 0.75 | 0.87 | –0.12 | –13.8 | 0.94 |
| Road freight transport 2) (MJ/tkm) | 1.43 | 1.28 | +0.15 | +11.7 | 1.22 |
| Air freight 3) (MJ/tkm) | 9.45 | 9.37 | +0.08 | +0.9 | 9.17 |
| Ocean freight 3) (MJ/tkm) | 0.06 | 0.08 | –0.02 | –25.0 | 0.08 |
Own and contracted transport.
1) Including DB Schenker and DB Arriva.
2) Retrospective inclusion of USA Truck (previous year’s figures adjusted).
Retroactive corrections in previous years due to an improvement in the extrapolation methodology, which leads to a lower value for 2023.
3) Excluding pre- and post-carriage.
The improvement in specific primary energy consumption in regional rail passenger transport is due to an increase in train capacity utilization and, as a result, volume sold.
The efficiency of rail freight transport has increased, as energy consumption has fallen disproportionately with a decline in volume sold.
The significant reduction in specific primary energy consumption in ocean freight at DB Schenker was largely attributable to adjustments to the calculation basis (methodology and data) in the EcoTransIT World accounting system.
Stationary energy consumption
| Absolute primary energyconsumption of DB Group stationary facilities in Germany / terajoules (TJ) | 2024 | 2023 | Change | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| absolute | % | ||||
| Rail network operation | 4,684 | 4,966 | –282 | –5.7 | 5,128 |
| Passenger stations | 2,336 | 2,333 | +3 | +0.1 | 2,519 |
| Maintenance of rolling stock (depots) | 2,653 | 2,721 | –68 | –2.5 | 2,978 |
| Other | 2,898 | 3,227 | –329 | –10.2 | 3,182 |
| Total | 12,570 | 13,248 | –678 | –5.1 | 13,807 |
Individual figures are rounded and therefore may not add up.
When reporting primary energy consumption, we take into account the energy consumption for the conversion of primary energy sources such as mineral oil, natural gas or hard coal into the secondary energy sources actually used by our Group companies, such as electricity, fuels or district heating (final energy consumption). About 5,400 of our stations (DB InfraGO), interlockings, operating facilities, depots and buildings in Germany and DB Cargo sites in other European countries account for 15.3% of DB Group’s total primary energy consumption (previous year: 15.5%).
As part of a Green Rail Technology project, DB Regional is upgrading, among other things, numerous depot hall gates to self-closing hall gates No. 46. The gates are closed and opened automatically, which reduces heat loss, saves energy, speeds up processes and improves working conditions. This saves up to 15% of energy. In 2024, 45 gates have already been converted, including in Munich-Pasing, Münster and Frankfurt am Main (S-Bahn (metro)).
To continually improve energy-related performance, i.e. the measurable results in terms of energy efficiency, energy use and energy consumption, through a systematic approach and thus also to sustainably reduce greenhouse gas emissions, nine DB companies, including DB Regio AG, DB Fernverkehr AG and DB Energie GmbH, currently operate a certified energy management system No. 78 (EnMS) in accordance with DINENISO 50001. Forty-six DB companies in Germany are affected by the obligation to introduce an EnMS (or alternatively Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS)) in accordance with the Energy Efficiency Act (Energieeffizienzgesetz; EnEfG). The introduction in the German DB companies is currently being implemented and will be completed by the statutory deadline in July 2025.