Eurostar trains will run with 100% renewable energy by 2030, the company announced as part of its sustainability strategy which focuses on three main areas.
“This is a deliberately ambitious target; Eurostar wants to use its brand and commitment to accelerate change across the sector. To achieve our goal, we work closely together with our partners in each of our markets, we encourage regulatory support for the rapid deployment of new renewable energy projects. To facilitate this work, Eurostar recently joined the RE100 alliance with companies committed to sourcing 100% of their energy from renewable sources. Today, the transport sector accounts for 25% of European greenhouse gas emissions, making sustainable high-speed rail a key solution to a quarter of Europe’s climate problem,” Eurostar CEO Gwendoline Cazenave said.
Currently, in the Netherlands, Eurostar trains have been running on 100% wind power since 2017, and this figure has reached 40% in the UK since 2023. In Belgium, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with Infrabel in February 2024 to study the installation of novel solar projects to power trains.
Eurostar takes responsibility for reducing its own emissions and environmental footprint to ensure that every one of its passengers is transported at the lowest possible environmental cost.
Eurostar trains connect France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and the UK and the company is expected to transport 30 million passengers by 2030 which will benefit from low carbon transport services. “We’re building the backbone of sustainable travel in Europe, with a target of 30 million passengers by 2030, at the same time we’re also committed to building the mode of international transport that has the least negative impact on the planet, reducing emissions even as we grow,” Ollie Wilson, Head of RE100, Climate Group said.
Eurostar’s sustainability strategy aims at reducing its impact by sourcing renewable energies for its traction needs and reducing its energy requirements. For example, through its Memorandum of Understanding signed with Infrabel in February 2024 to study the installation of novel solar projects to power trains. Another pillar of its strategy aims at integrating circularity throughout the value chain, i.e. from production to end-of-life, to minimize waste and use resources more efficiently. For instance, every on-board dish is thoughtfully curated with sustainable sourcing and environmentally friendly options in mind. These efforts have already been rewarded as Eurostar received a three-star rating from the Food Made Good Awards for its on-board catering offer.
The company hopes to attract more passengers to its low-carbon service by continuing to develop open hubs to connect Eurostar services to domestic networks or long-haul flights, for example through its air-rail partnership with KLM.
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