Deutsche Bahn to purchase nearly 4.5 million gallons of renewable diesel for locomotives

Photo: Adam Özdemir, DB AG

Deutsche Bahn is expanding its use of renewable diesel significantly this year by purchasing nearly 4.5 million gallons of renewable diesel produced by Neste Corp.

Switching from fossil diesel to Neste MY Renewable Diesel™ will enable Deutsche Bahn to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from the operation of its diesel-powered locomotives and railcars by up to 90 percent.

In total, the purchased amount will save Deutsche Bahn around 46,000 metric tons of greenhouse-gas emissions (CO2e) compared to the use of fossil diesel.

Deutsche Bahn has already approved the use of 100 percent hydrotreated vegetable oil (renewable diesel) for the use in around 1,000 of its vehicles, and its subsidiary DB Cargo AG in its entire fleet of 800 vehicles.

Neste MY Renewable Diesel is a drop-in fuel, suitable for use in diesel-powered vehicles without any modifications to engines.

“We are happy that Deutsche Bahn chose Neste MY Renewable Diesel as a solution on their journey of becoming climate neutral,” said Peter Zonneveld, an executive with Neste.

“Companies can reduce their climate emissions in an instant by just switching to Neste MY Renewable Diesel,” Zonneveld continued.

“With our renewables production capacity increasing to 5.5 million tons by the end of 2023 and further to 6.8 million tons by the end of 2026, we are well-equipped to help our customers around the world to make the switch to more sustainable solutions,” he said.

Neste MY Renewable Diesel is produced 100 percent from renewable raw materials such as used cooking oil.