Name: Can we decarbonise rail by 2050?
Uploaded: 2023-11-03T02:27:40.089Z
Duration: 313.2
Description: Join Pacific National’s ESG champion, Anitra Hobby as she explores the quest to decarbonize operations within the rail sector. Learn about the energy efficiency and environmental benefits rail brings, and the exciting array of cutting-edge technologies she’s exploring for a sustainable future.

Anitra Hobby 3.mp4

Anitra Hobby.vtt

Subtitles

{{00:00:11}}
That's a really interesting question.

{{00:00:13}}
And decarbonizing operations is a
huge challenge for Pacific National.

{{00:00:17}}
We don't actually have a target
set for 2050 yet because the

{{00:00:20}}
technology is not available, which
means we can't build a plan where

{{00:00:24}}
we know the cost and the timing.

{{00:00:25}}
What we do have is a climate action
strategy with four pillars that

{{00:00:30}}
includes supporting the Australian
transition to net zero, decarbonizing

{{00:00:35}}
our own operations, building
climate resilience, and engaging

{{00:00:39}}
and collaborating with others.

{{00:00:40}}
And then with that we also have our
decarbonization roadmap, which covers all

{{00:00:44}}
of our emissions internally for all the
different types of equipment that we use.

{{00:00:55}}
Decarbonising rail is really
important for a couple of reasons.

{{00:00:59}}
Rail freight is already more
fuel efficient than road freight.

{{00:01:03}}
And given that that's because of things
like the steel on steel, wheels on track

{{00:01:07}}
rather than rubber on road, and because
of the shape profile you can maintain

{{00:01:11}}
for rail, that means you've got less
wind resistance, means that the energy

{{00:01:15}}
advantage that rail has is probably going
to be sustained going forward as well.

{{00:01:19}}
So that's always an energy
advantage that's probably always

{{00:01:22}}
going to be a good outcome for the
country and for the environment.

{{00:01:26}}
And also rail brings other benefits with
it as well, so less congestion on roads

{{00:01:31}}
is good for everyone else using the roads.

{{00:01:33}}
It's a better safety outcome
when roads are less congested and

{{00:01:36}}
it's a lower cost because there's
less road maintenance required.

{{00:01:43}}
The things that we need to
support decarbonisation are

{{00:01:50}}
a wide range of technologies.

{{00:01:52}}
So our decarbonisation roadmap
covers as I said before, all

{{00:01:55}}
of our scope one and scope two.

{{00:01:56}}
So it's all the equipment we use.

{{00:01:58}}
It's our crew cars that we
use to move train crew around.

{{00:02:01}}
It's our locomotives.

{{00:02:02}}
It's our terminal equipment and
it's our offices and depots.

{{00:02:06}}
So we need to have technology
that deals with all of that.

{{00:02:09}}
So for us, the technology is
going to be things like electric

{{00:02:12}}
vehicles for the crew cars.

{{00:02:14}}
There's starting to be some electric
reach stackers available in the market

{{00:02:18}}
that could be considered for terminal
operations and then for the locomotives,

{{00:02:23}}
it's going to be a range of things.

{{00:02:25}}
It's get more efficient in the short term.

{{00:02:27}}
It's think about the medium term
solutions which might include things

{{00:02:30}}
like a biodiesel or renewable diesel.

{{00:02:33}}
So a lower carbon diesel and then
in the longer term, we need the

{{00:02:36}}
technology for things like a battery
electric locomotive or potentially

{{00:02:40}}
even a green hydrogen locomotive.

{{00:02:48}}
Consistent implementation.

{{00:02:49}}
That's a great change management question.

{{00:02:52}}
And so for us, it comes down to
the things that you would expect.

{{00:02:56}}
So leadership, we're lucky to
have a very committed leadership

{{00:02:59}}
group for decarbonisation.

{{00:03:01}}
Comes down to governance.

{{00:03:03}}
So making sure we've got the
right frameworks in place for

{{00:03:05}}
managing the projects that we
need and continuous communication.

{{00:03:09}}
How well are we doing
with our decarbonisation?

{{00:03:12}}
Are we meeting the
targets we need to meet?

{{00:03:20}}
Biggest challenge.

{{00:03:21}}
Oh, there's just so much
that needs to be done.

{{00:03:24}}
So there's the decarbonisation
work we need to do.

{{00:03:27}}
There's some of the reporting, so for
example, the Australian Government

{{00:03:30}}
Treasury reporting around climate
related financial disclosures.

{{00:03:33}}
And that's just the climate
related parts of the ESG portfolio.

{{00:03:37}}
There's also the rest of the
ESG portfolio, including our

{{00:03:41}}
diversity and inclusion work.

{{00:03:42}}
And community engagement, for example.

{{00:03:51}}
The advice I'd give to other rail
organisations is to really think about

{{00:03:55}}
what you're doing in a number of ways.

{{00:03:56}}
So first of all, make sure that there's
a good understanding across the business.

{{00:04:01}}
And we know that we have some of our
people are really interested in this,

{{00:04:04}}
some of our customers are really
interested, and some of our investors.

{{00:04:07}}
But making sure there's a general
understanding of why we're doing this.

{{00:04:11}}
The second would be to understand
all of your carbon sources.

{{00:04:15}}
So whether it's burning diesel, whether
it's electricity in the offices, or

{{00:04:20}}
whether it's something else, you need
to understand all of those sources.

{{00:04:23}}
Because you'll need to
address all of them.

{{00:04:25}}
The third is to think about
your short and long term.

{{00:04:30}}
Because there are things you can do now
through optimization and efficiency.

{{00:04:34}}
There'll be some mid term
solutions, as I mentioned before,

{{00:04:36}}
maybe some low carbon diesels.

{{00:04:38}}
And then there'll be the
longer term solutions.

{{00:04:40}}
But don't think you can leave those
longer term solutions till later.

{{00:04:44}}
Start thinking about them now because
there's an awfully long lead time to

{{00:04:47}}
understanding exactly what, where,
and how you're going to use it.

{{00:04:50}}
Which brings me to the fourth
and final point, which is think

{{00:04:53}}
about your change management.

{{00:04:54}}
Because this change is
going to be really big.

{{00:04:56}}
It's going to impact across
the whole organisation.

{{00:04:59}}
And you really need to start thinking
about it now and helping the organization

{{00:05:02}}
start getting ready for the amount
of change that's going to come as we

{{00:05:05}}
start decarbonizing our operations.

And decarbonizing operations is a
huge challenge for Pacific National.

We don't actually have a target
set for 2050 yet because the

technology is not available, which
means we can't build a plan where

What we do have is a climate action
strategy with four pillars that

includes supporting the Australian
transition to net zero, decarbonizing

our own operations, building
climate resilience, and engaging

And then with that we also have our
decarbonization roadmap, which covers all

of our emissions internally for all the
different types of equipment that we use.

Decarbonising rail is really
important for a couple of reasons.

Rail freight is already more
fuel efficient than road freight.

And given that that's because of things
like the steel on steel, wheels on track

rather than rubber on road, and because
of the shape profile you can maintain

for rail, that means you've got less
wind resistance, means that the energy

advantage that rail has is probably going
to be sustained going forward as well.

So that's always an energy
advantage that's probably always

going to be a good outcome for the
country and for the environment.

And also rail brings other benefits with
it as well, so less congestion on roads

is good for everyone else using the roads.

It's a better safety outcome
when roads are less congested and

it's a lower cost because there's
less road maintenance required.

The things that we need to
support decarbonisation are

So our decarbonisation roadmap
covers as I said before, all

It's our crew cars that we
use to move train crew around.

It's our terminal equipment and
it's our offices and depots.

So we need to have technology
that deals with all of that.

So for us, the technology is
going to be things like electric

There's starting to be some electric
reach stackers available in the market

that could be considered for terminal
operations and then for the locomotives,

It's get more efficient in the short term.

It's think about the medium term
solutions which might include things

So a lower carbon diesel and then
in the longer term, we need the

technology for things like a battery
electric locomotive or potentially

That's a great change management question.

And so for us, it comes down to
the things that you would expect.

So leadership, we're lucky to
have a very committed leadership

So making sure we've got the
right frameworks in place for

managing the projects that we
need and continuous communication.

How well are we doing
with our decarbonisation?

Are we meeting the
targets we need to meet?

Oh, there's just so much
that needs to be done.

So there's the decarbonisation
work we need to do.

There's some of the reporting, so for
example, the Australian Government

Treasury reporting around climate
related financial disclosures.

And that's just the climate
related parts of the ESG portfolio.

There's also the rest of the
ESG portfolio, including our

The advice I'd give to other rail
organisations is to really think about

So first of all, make sure that there's
a good understanding across the business.

And we know that we have some of our
people are really interested in this,

some of our customers are really
interested, and some of our investors.

But making sure there's a general
understanding of why we're doing this.

The second would be to understand
all of your carbon sources.

So whether it's burning diesel, whether
it's electricity in the offices, or

whether it's something else, you need
to understand all of those sources.

Because you'll need to
address all of them.

The third is to think about
your short and long term.

Because there are things you can do now
through optimization and efficiency.

There'll be some mid term
solutions, as I mentioned before,

And then there'll be the
longer term solutions.

But don't think you can leave those
longer term solutions till later.

Start thinking about them now because
there's an awfully long lead time to

understanding exactly what, where,
and how you're going to use it.

Which brings me to the fourth
and final point, which is think

Because this change is
going to be really big.

It's going to impact across
the whole organisation.

And you really need to start thinking
about it now and helping the organization

start getting ready for the amount
of change that's going to come as we

Connect Rail

Expert Insight

Join Pacific National’s ESG champion, Anitra Hobby as she explores the quest to decarbonize operations within the rail sector. Learn about the energy efficiency and environmental benefits rail brings, and the exciting array of cutting-edge technologies she’s exploring for a sustainable future.