Environmental measures

Expansion of renewable energies in traction current

The development of a diversified portfolio of renewable energies and energy storage systems for an economical and secure energy supply with a growing share of renewable energies is a core element of our decarbonization strategy. Power purchase agreements (PPAs) have become an integral component of procurement activities. Four new PPAs were concluded in the first half of 2025:

• two with a short- to medium-term maturity under which electricity is supplied from an onshore wind farm and a solar park No. 30, and
• two with a long-term maturity under which electricity is supplied from a hydropower plant No. 16 and a solar park.

In the second quarter of 2025, a further power storage agreement (PSA) was also concluded with Energieversorgung Beckum in cooperation with Entrix. This will enable DB Energy to use an annual storage capacity sufficient for about 1.3 million ICE kilometers from the new battery storage facility that is being built in Beckum for a period of ten years, most likely starting in January 2026. The structuring of PSAs within the PPA portfolio makes it possible to manage the special features of electricity supply from renewable energy sources, such as discontinuous generation and price and forecast risks, in the best possible way. In this way, DB Energy intends to press ahead with the integration of renewable energies in the German electricity market.

Energy supply for alternative drives

• HVO: DB Energy is continuing to expand the supply of HVO No. 164 as a bridging technology. As of April 1, 2025, another rail filling station was converted to HVO. This means that 21 HVO rail filling stations are now available at DB Energy.
• Charging infrastructure for battery trains: After the first overhead wire islands in Schleswig-Holstein went into operation in 2024, DB Energy signed a realization and financing contract with the state of Rhineland-Palatinate and DB InfraGO for the charging infrastructure for battery trains No. 45 in the Palatinate network in early June 2025. From spring 2026, the diesel trains in the network should be replaced by battery trains. DB InfraGO and DB Energy are constructing five overhead wire islands and various charging facilities for parking facilities to supply these battery trains with power.
• Innovation hub: At the innovation hub No. 53 in Tübingen, DB Energy has tested an innovative overall hydrogen system for the first time as part of the H2goesRail project. Various technologies and systems have also been piloted at the site. Examples include the development of the so-called DB sector coupler, a technical interface to the overhead wire to feed renewable energies directly into the traction current grid, the use of energy storage systems and the use of AI for efficient energy management. The project officially concluded at the end of March 2025.