Since 1st January 2024 SBB has been a member of SPIN.
Although all the passenger and cargo trains in Switzerland generally run on electricity, diesel powered rail vehicles are still needed for specific tasks such as shunting on last mile, track maintenance, snow blowing, rescue operations and backup power supply. To achieve its ambitious climate targets, SBB is primarily focusing on battery-electric drives to replace existing diesel traction vehicles.
Nevertheless, special applications remain where a diesel engine will continue to be the powertrain of choice.
In a transitional phase fossil diesel can be replaced with renewable fuels such as HVO, a biomass-based substitute made from residual and waste materials. But these resources are limited.
To still be able to obtain a renewable diesel substitute in the long term, the availability of a synthetic renewable fuel must be ensured.
Power-to-X plays a key role here and therefore SBB supports the SPIN-network with its membership.