Towards Net Zero: Developing a Rail Decarbonization Roadmap for Canada

As such, the information and the Framework presented in this report are provided with the intention that they will continue to produce useful outputs and inform decision-making as the rail sector, associated technologies and practices, and the over-arching context of decarbonization continue to evolve. [...] The framework generates a “snapshot” of the current state of each of the key alternative fuel and alternative propulsion technologies that are expected to contribute to deep decarbonization of the sector. [...] Each of the three cornerstones must be addressed in order for a decarbonization option to become commercially viable, and the failure of a given option to address any one of the three will prohibit the widespread implementation of that option. [...] Wave 2: Alternative fuels align with the medium-term: These are in use in low blend rates now, and the technology to allow for the use of higher blend rates is in development and expected to be commercially available in the context of rail application by 2030. [...] 2.4.3 WEIGHTING THE DECARBONIZATION POTENTIAL-RELATED FACTORS The decarbonization potential of any measure will be a product of the emissions reductions that are possible on a per-equipment basis and the uptake of the measure, in terms of number of units.