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consumption and environmental impact. Specifically, there will be a commitment to trains
with dual technology (electric and hydrogen and batteries) for the Cercanías and Media
Distancia services.

GENERATION WITH RENEWABLE ENERGY. SELF-CONSUMPTION

In Spain there is currently a clear commitment to the promotion of renewable energy
generation to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions targets. In this sense,
the integration of renewable energies into the energy consumption of the transport sector
is also a priority.

Different administrators and rail operators are conducting studies and analysis to plan and
introduce distributed generation based on photovoltaic solar energy, and subsequently self-
consuming from it. This approach, which has normally been promoted in the field of
construction (for example, passenger stations or auxiliary areas such as car parks), is also
being oriented towards the energy consumption of trains.

III. POLICY AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

Since the first edition of the position paper on Sustainable and smart management of energy
in railways, the legislative and regulatory framework has grown in general terms, in relation
to the use of alternative fuels to diesel.

As seen above, although the Spanish railway sector has undertaken significant efforts in
terms of electrification, it must continue to advance in the field of decarbonisation of lines
and rolling stock dependent on diesel.

In the field of electrification, at Spanish national level, the Royal Decree 1011/2009
2
continues to be applied by the sector as the main incentive for the discharge of the energy
generated in the regenerative braking of trains into the external network. In the field of
smart grids, little progress has been made in legal and regulatory terms since 2016. It should
even be considered that non-rail electricity networks, which are the most advanced in this
area, do not still have an effective regulatory and governance framework with the aim of
encouraging an innovative design of the energy market and greater interaction with the end
user. In railway terms, it is essential that new technological projects help develop this
framework for railways.

NEW ENERGY VECTORS

In relation to the main political and regulatory actions during this time, some are
highlighted below in chronological order, closely aligned with the use of new energy
vectors:

 In December 2019, the so-called European Green Deal was approved, setting
ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving energy
efficiency and the penetration of renewable energies by 2030.

th
2 Royal Decree 1011/2009, June 19 , which regulates the Supplier Switching Office (and according
to its twelfth additional provision regarding discharges to the electricity network for consumers who
implement saving and efficiency systems).

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Position paper: Innovation in energy management: contribution of railways to sustainable mobility
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