EIB launches Green Rail Investment Platform for carbon-neutral transports

15 / 12 / 2021

By Marwa Nassar - -

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has launched the Green Rail Investment Platform — a new initiative to assist public and private investments in rail projects.

To fast track the implementation of rail investments, the new platform offers the lending, blending and advisory services of the EIB and the EU financial instruments available under InvestEU. It is available to all rail operators, infrastructure managers, transport authorities and other stakeholders. The Green Rail Investment Platform aims to address specific market needs, explore new business models and boost opportunities to finance innovation and climate action in rail transport.

“Rail transport will be the backbone of Europe’s future climate-neutral transport system. It is the only mode of transport that has reduced its emissions and energy consumption since 1990,” said EIB Vice-President Kris Peeters. “That is why investing in rail is a top priority for the EIB. The new Green Rail Investment Platform will help the rail sector to access EU investment financing and advisory support more easily.”

The EIB Group is playing a significant role in the transformation of mobility for a low-carbon future. This year we launched a new public consultation on our support for the sector. The aim is to redefine the priorities of our support within the framework of the pioneering Climate Bank Roadmap and to strengthen the impact of our future transport investment.

As the EU bank, the EIB supports the shift to rail through financing and advisory support, to help to cut greenhouse gas emissions and pollution and to prepare EU transport for the future.

The EIB investments in lower-carbon transport (rail, metros, tramways and alternative fuels) have already increased from €6.7 billion in 2019 to €7.2 billion in 2020, an increase of almost 10%.

In the last ten years, the EIB has provided more than €40 billion to support the rail sector. Lending for rail rolling stock has become more important in the EIB rail portfolio, increasing from 33% of loan amounts signed in 2017 to 60% in 2020. The EIB is now focusing on financing projects that are in line with climate action targets, such as electric rail rolling stock and other zero-tail pipe emission trains such as those powered by hydrogen and batteries, as well as rail infrastructure and intermodal terminals.