CN's high-efficiency locomotives contribute to a lower carbon footprint.supplied
Thanks to a long commitment to improving the environmental performance of its railway, CN has established a leadership position in operational efficiency and climate change.
From there, the railway – which also offers rail, intermodal and trucking services – set an ambitious plan to reduce its carbon emissions, says Chantale Despres, CN’s assistant vice-president, Sustainability.
“We have been collaborating with the Science Base Targets initiative (SBTi) to develop our emissions reduction target. In 2017, we were among the first 100 companies globally to have an approved science-based target to improve our carbon intensity by 29 per cent by 2030, based on 2015 levels,” she says. “We’re in the process of re-submitting our target that reflects not only the latest climate science but also our current operations, since we acquired a logistics and trucking company that impacts our emissions.”
Targets are considered “science-based” when they are aligned with the latest climate science, and CN’s new goal will follow the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s recommendations to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, she says.
CN has built a solid foundation for its climate change strategy. Since 1993, it has reduced its carbon footprint by 40 per cent while significantly growing the business. “We’re a pioneer in precision-scheduled railroading, an operating model that is based on efficiency,” says Ms. Despres. “This drives considerable value for our business and also gives us the opportunity to offer solutions to customers looking to decarbonize their transportation supply chains.”
Results are impressive: currently, CN is 15 per cent more fuel efficient than the industry average, a significant feat considering that railroads across North America all operate with the same types of locomotives. As a business that moves over 300 million tonnes of cargo on an annual basis, approximately 85 per cent of CN’s carbon footprint comes from its locomotive fleet.
Moving forward, operational improvements, newer locomotives and technology applications, including big data analytics, and cleaner fuels have the potential to further improve the company’s environmental performance.
“Regulations like Canada’s Clean Fuel Standard will support a cleaner fuel supply, for example, with an increase of renewable fuels blended with diesel,” says Ms. Despres. “Yet beyond 2030, alternative propulsion for the rail sector will be needed to achieve the deep decarbonization necessary for transitioning to a net-zero carbon world by 2050.”
Ms. Despres envisions innovative solutions coming from collaborations with fuel producers, manufacturers, cleantech and governments.
A pilot project that is promising a substantial impact is aiming to improve the carbon intensity of the “first mile and the last mile,” says Martin Guimond, vice-president, Multimodal Operations, Consumer Product Supply Chain, CN. “We’re already number one in our class in North America for fuel efficiency for our railroad, and we’re continuously expanding our efforts to our trucking operation.”
The initiative focuses on electric trucks that cover urban customer deliveries, shuttle content from one terminal to another, as well as support port operations in Vancouver, B.C., he notes. “We have an agreement with a Quebec-based company called Lion Electric to purchase 50 all-electric commercial trucks, which we’ll use in different locations across our network, mainly in Montreal, Toronto, Milton and Vancouver.”
Close collaboration helps to ensure the trucks are designed to meet CN’s operational requirements. “We selected Lion Trucks because their proven battery technology has already demonstrated success for this type of vehicle, and they offer local support if adjustments are needed,” says Mr. Guimond. “As leaders in our industry, we want to be ready for what’s coming next.”
CN’s scope of climate action goes beyond setting a science-based target and improving operational efficiency, adds Ms. Despres. “Since 2012, we’ve planted over two million trees across North America as part of our EcoConnexions – From the Ground Up and Reforestation program, which makes us the largest reforestation company in Canada outside the forest industry,” she says. “And we’re committed to playing a key role in the transition to a clean economy.”
Advertising feature produced by Randall Anthony Communications with Canada’s Clean50. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.