Be part of the ecological and energy transition

To take action on the energy and environmental performance of our trains and industrial technical centers, the teams in our Equipment Department rely on a number of levers: the ongoing search for energy savings, the reconditioning and recycling of materials, and a constant drive for innovation. Our purchasing department is also working towards the same objective.

To get out of the diesel era, we need to continue greening our fleet of combustion-powered rolling stock, starting with TERs running on non-electrified lines. Our teams take advantage of mid-life refurbishments to replace diesel engines with green traction technologies. We also work upstream to help transit authorities acquire equipment with low environmental impact (hybrid, hydrogen, biofuel, battery, biogas). 

In addition to these substitution efforts, SNCF Voyageurs - well placed in terms of the carbon footprint of its mobility solutions - is continuing to develop alternative green solutions. Our equipment engineering teams are heavily involved in this major project. 

From projects to reality, let's mention the 2021 transformation of the first diesel TERs into battery-powered TERs, which is mobilizing the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Hauts-de-France, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Occitanie and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions. SNCF Voyageurs has also placed an order with Alstom for 12 to 14 dual-mode trains powered by electricity from the catenary and hydrogen. A new step towards clean mobility supported by the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Grand Est, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Occitanie regions! 

Finally, it's worth noting that engineering's vision also covers all energy-saving items and equipment.

In the space of seven years, an industrial sector has emerged, capable of dismantling trains very cleanly. From 2000 to 2014, when SNCF Voyageurs was issuing invitations to tender, no company was able to keep up with the pace, the virtuous processes or the costs. But it was able to convince SMEs and larger companies to take an interest in this market. SNCF Voyageurs has set up a company qualification involving the removal of asbestos from and dismantling of a given volume of cars, with a given budget, for experimental purposes. At present, half a dozen companies are accredited, all capable of meeting the needs of the railway company. 

In addition to the compulsory European and French certifications required to process asbestos-containing equipment, approved companies have been awarded the SNCF label, following rigorous testing. Firstly, parts that can be reused are recovered (electronic cards, bogies, axles, transformers, pantographs, etc.). Secondly, as much material as possible is collected, then recycled or recovered. The average recycling rate is 92% to 95% for trailer bodies and 98% for locomotives. All service providers are encouraged to increase this percentage in order to make further progress: experiments are underway to recover plastics, glass and polyester. The aim is to achieve zero waste of recoverable materials. The remaining percentages, known as "ultimate waste", are either recovered as energy or sent to a specialized landfill.

A technology that's an ally of the environment, 3D printing enables an object to be created by aggregating material rather than by removing material, thus avoiding scrap. For example, since late 2015, the equipment department has been testing and validating the manufacture of parts using this process, in particular for use in the manufacture of repairable equipment parts. Eventually, a significant proportion of our maintenance offer could be manufactured in 3D (including new parts and tooling). Other advantages include the rapid availability of parts and relocated production, a reduction in carbon footprint thanks to lower raw material extraction costs, and lower parts inventories at our sites.

Saving energy is no longer an option, but an obsession. Innovation in this field is essential, given the instability of energy prices that will begin in 2022. With 15 patents filed per year, innovation is at the heart of our strategy, and in particular for the benefit of environmental issues.

Moreover, to reduce CO₂ emissions, it is necessary to optimize operations. By acting on train operation, train parking and on-board temperature, each of these actions actively contributes to energy sobriety. For example, on Régiolis and Régio2N trains, air conditioning is controlled by measuring occupancy rates, so it adapts in real time to the number of passengers on board.

Nothing is lost, everything is transformed! The circular economy aims to preserve resources, from the eco-design of goods and services to the recycling of materials, the reuse of parts, and so on. For equipment management, there is a real opportunity to reinforce these principles throughout the entire life cycle of equipment. The concept has already been integrated by its teams and internal and external partners, notably with the rolling stock lifecycle analysis tool. The end-of-life phase of trains also has obvious links with the circular economy, since 90% of railway equipment is made of recyclable materials, due to the high proportion of metal parts (steel, aluminum, copper, stainless steel).