Azerbaijan Railways Company (ADY) made a significant stride by presenting its first-ever Sustainability Report, a document of great importance to stakeholders, environmental advocates, government officials, and the general public interested in sustainability. On October 23, 2024, Azerbaijan State Railways Company (ADY) presented its first sustainability report, highlighting the company’s achievements and plans to contribute to climate action.
The report highlights ADY’s broad efforts to achieve decarbonization goals in the local transport system, namely local railways, by switching to alternative energy resources and relying on green innovations and digital solutions. Azerbaijan Railways Chairman Rovshan Rustamov emphasized the crucial role of railways in establishing sustainable transport, underlining the importance of reducing emissions and improving energy efficiency. The transport sector in Azerbaijan is a fast-growing sector and makes a significant contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP).
30 million tons by 2030
According to Rustamov, the company’s goal is to create a carbon-neutral railway transport system. Indeed, the railway transport system is strategically vital for Azerbaijan due to the country’s ambitions of becoming a viable regional transit hub linking Asia to Europe. Azerbaijan is strategically situated at the intersection of the north-south and east-west trade routes between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
Considering this factor, Azerbaijan has been very enthusiastic about developing and extending its railway infrastructure in an attempt to attract more foreign investments, including regional and global stakeholders. Therefore, Azerbaijan’s ambitious goal of increasing the volume of cargo transportation to 30 million tons per year by 2030 should come as a little surprise. However, global ambitions come with additional requirements, particularly in terms of environment and carbon emissions.
Network electrification is a priority
In an era where environmental concerns dominate global discussions, the transportation sector finds itself at a critical juncture. Railways are renowned for their eco-friendliness and stand out as a beacon of hope in the quest for greener mobility solutions. Reportedly, railways account for an impressive 40% of passenger traffic while contributing less than 2% to greenhouse gas emissions, though the use of diesel locomotives still results in the production of harmful substances like NOx, SO2, and particulate matter, posing risks to both human health and the environment.
In order to tackle this crucial problem, ADY prioritised electrifying the railway network, expanding the fleet of electric trains, and transitioning to alternative energy sources. For example, ADY installed more than 650 solar panels within this framework at key locations, including Bilajari and Ganja, ensuring that the energy used to power our trains comes from clean and renewable sources. As a result, in 2023, the company managed to generate 78,9464 kWh of renewable energy from these installations.
This progressive initiative is poised to revolutionise ADY’s energy consumption practices by harnessing the power of clean, renewable sources. Moreover, as ADY’s new report suggests, the company electrified 63% of its railways and 47% of its locomotives. Also, to facilitate the transition, ADY is actively constructing locomotive repositories that are specifically designed to support the new alternating current (AC) system.
Since 2023, ADY has managed to reduce energy consumption by 5%, natural gas consumption by 16%, water consumption by 23%, and carbon emissions by 9%.
As the world’s countries grapple with climate change, Azerbaijan keeps investing in a green economy and renewable energy sources in nearly the entire transport sector.
Taking inspiration from Europe
Undoubtedly, successful examples like the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom are sources of inspiration for Azerbaijan to turn its railway systems into carbon-neutral and eco-friendly systems in the near future. In addition to natural resources, favourable climatic conditions also enabled Azerbaijan to turn toward green technology, as the number of sunshine hours in the country is 2,400 – 3,200 per year, making it one of the sunniest countries in the world.
ADY’s inaugural sustainability report repeatedly reflected Azerbaijan’s commitment and ambitions regarding green energy and the future of railway systems. As the first governmental transport company to issue a sustainability report featuring a mid- and long-term strategy, ADY has the potential to be the frontrunner of the country’s green growth plan.
