Children in different costumes

Your own energy from your own energy

Our declared goal: to further increase self-sufficiency with 100% renewable energy from ÖBB.

Für all das investieren wir bis 2030 rund 1,6 Mrd. Euro. Unser Weg: Durch den Ausbau unserer eigenen Kraftwerke für erneuerbare Energie und mit starken Energiepartnerschaften sowie unserer Enegieeffizienz-Programme, schaffen wir mehr Energieunabhängigkeit und schützen gleichzeitig unsere Umwelt! Die Nachfrage nach grünem Strom wird in den kommenden Jahren stark steigen – somit ist die Stärkung der Eigenversorgung auch im Sinne der Versorgungssicherheit Österreichs und seiner Wirtschaft.

We give 100 percent for 0 emissions

As one of Austria’s largest climate protection companies, ÖBB considers itself to be a part of the solution in the fight against climate change. With the switch to 100 percent green electricity for our railway stations, offices, workshops and container cranes, we are reaching the next milestone in becoming a CO2-free group. In this way, we are already creating an environmentally-friendly infrastructure today that will enable our children and grandchildren to have a future worth living tomorrow.

Environmentally friendly power supply

Environmentally friendly power supply, electricity from water, wind and solar power: the railway is climate-friendly. Using energy efficiently and investing in new ideas and technologies. This is ÖBB-Infrastruktur. It’s why we also want to compensate for upstream emissions in the long term. Not a single litre of oil, not a cubic metre of gas or coal should be used to generate the electricity that moves trains, passengers and goods. Every year, we and our customers save around 3.5 million tons of carbon dioxide for the environment through rail transport. A quantity that would require a forest the size of Vorarlberg to be taken up again.

Salzkammergutbahn, Zug vor dem Traunstein
View of the Tauernmoos reservoir wall

Clean power from hydropower

Our skill is climate protection. With an average of 90 per cent hydro-electric power in the rail power supply mix we, ÖBB-Infrastruktur, are one of the most environmentally-friendly infrastructure operators in Europe. We operate a complex infrastructure for a reliable and fail-safe traction power supply. We produce a third of Austria’s traction supply demand in our hydropower plants.

Hydroelectric power - Projects for Austria

Solar panels for the railway

We not only use hydroelectric power, but also solar energy to operate our trains and stations. Our lighthouse project in Wilfleinsdorf has been generating environmentally friendly traction current since 2015, making it the first traction current solar power plant in Europe. In the course of an extensive expansion programme, in addition to traction current photovoltaic systems, numerous additional three-phase photovoltaic systems are being built to supply our railway stations.

Solar energy - Projects for Austria
Solar power plant
Wind Park Höflein

Powered by the wind

In Höflein, we have built the world's first 16.7 Hz traction current wind turbine as a prototype. It makes a significant contribution. Trains are now also powered by the wind. The energy generated is fed directly into the railway's overhead line. On the one hand, this direct feed largely avoids the need for new electrical lines. On the other hand, the trains are supplied with wind energy directly and thus with low losses.

Wind power - Projects for Austria

Using energy efficiently

Energy efficiency and energy-saving are always important topics for us. We are also committed to climate protection for economic reasons. Less energy demand in vehicle operation, in railway stations, in installations and in the offices reduces operating costs.

The illuminated station Praterstern at night
Catenary masts

Expanding electrification

An important step towards further CO2 reduction is the electrification of additional railway lines. The following routes are on the agenda in the coming years: Marchegger Ast (2023), Klagenfurt–Weizelsdorf (2023), Koralmbahn Graz–Deutschlandsberg (2023), Koralmbahn Wolfsberg–Klagenfurt (2023).

We make the world greener

Upstream emissions in our traction current are compensated for by forestation programmes in the tropical rain forest in Costa Rica and in the ÖBB Customers Forest near Vienna.

Deciduous forest