Elron’s electric trains run entirely on renewable energy as of this year  

As of 2021, Elron’s electric trains - which running in Tallinn and on short routes in Harju County - use only 100% green energy. Ensuring renewable energy-based train connections helps to reduce our carbon footprint and fulfil the ambition of Estonia and of the European Union to increase the share of renewable energy in the total energy consumption of the transport sector.

‘The estimated electrical power consumption of electric trains in 2021 is due to exceed fourteen million kWh. While we have been using traditional energy for electric trains over past years, as of this year all of our electric trains are running entirely using renewable energy,’ said Merike Saks, Elron’s chairwoman of the board.

She stated that the transfer to green energy is part of the development of the Estonian transport system. ‘Estonia must contribute towards reducing the environmental impact of the transport sector, just like the rest of Europe. One option is to prefer renewable energy to fossil energy, especially if it is just as readily available,’ said Saks.

While electric trains currently only run in Tallinn and in Harju County, there are plans to electrify the Tallinn-Tartu line by 2024, which is one of the most heavily-used routes in Estonia. Further away in time it is also hoped that the line to eastern Estonia can be electrified, which would allow Elron to further increase the volume of renewable energy-based rail traffic.

‘The new trains which have been ordered through a public procurement process, and which should arrive for the Tallinn-Tartu line by the end of 2024, are also dual-system electric trains which will be fuelled by renewable energy,’ stressed Saks.