In the future, rail transport will encounter new challenges and changes to which it will have to react. These include social, economic, and political developments that can present both risks and new opportunities for the rail sector.

Against this background, a group of experts – consisting of the Innovation Center for Mobility and Social Change (InnoZ), the consulting firm SCI Verkehr, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the Brandenburg University of Applied Sciences and the Chair of Logistics Services and Transport at the Technical University of Berlin headed by Professor Elbert – has analyzed the transport markets, derived the main trends and drivers up to the year 2020, and identified those areas in which innovations are necessary to facilitate the long-term entrepreneurial development of the rail sector and sustainable mobility. The results of the project were documented in the study “Challenges for the Railway System 2020” and presented at InnoTrans 2010. The key findings of the comprehensive project are the identification of main trends and drivers that will pose new challenges for rail transport in Germany and Europe over the next ten years. Furthermore, twelve fields of innovation will be presented, which form the thematic focus of the innovation platform “Eco Rail Innovation” (ERI).

At the presentation of the study at InnoTrans 2010, the participants of this study and the partners of the innovation platform Deutsche Bahn, Siemens, Bombardier Transportation, Alstom, Tognum/MTU, Voith, Vossloh, Gideon, Ballard, Solon, Enertrag and the German Railway Industry Association (VDB) announced their intention to intensify their cooperation. On the joint platform “Eco Rail Innovation” (ERI), technical solutions for the economic and ecological strengthening of the railway system are to be developed. The initial focus is on the development of low-emission and energy-efficient components and powertrain systems, for example, energy storage systems for railway vehicles. The overall objective is to realize the vision of “zero emissions” in vehicles and systems.

You can download the study at:

http://www.ecorailinnovation.com/dl/1346664226_ERI2010.pdf (opens in new tab)