Mumbai: Central and Western Railways to focus on use of renewable energy – EQ Mag Pro
The Central and Western Railways are saving money to the tune of over Rs 960.98 crore by focusing on use of renewable energy. The Western and Central Railways have saved more than Rs 5.98 crore after installing solar panels which are used to generate electricity.
This comes at a time when on February 24, Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. commissioned a 1.7-megawatt solar photovoltaic plant at Bina in Madhya Pradesh for the Indian Railways.
The plant will directly feed power to traction systems of Indian Railways. The move to create a solar plant was taken after Indian Railways decided to be self-reliant for its energy needs and solarize railway stations for which they will install solar panels on its vacant unused lands and at railway stations.
For instance, the CR and WR authorities are doing their bit to solarize their railway premises wherever possible. According to Western Railway officials, as on January this year, they have achieved monetary savings to the tune of Rs 2.48 crore through solar power generation. “So far 89 stations are equipped with 6.55 MW of rooftop solar panels over Western Railway,” said Sumit Thakur, Chief PRO, Western Railway.
These solar panels are installed on rooftops of railway stations, on station buildings and their offices so as to harness the energy from sun. Likewise, the Central Railway is also doing its bit to ensure that their railway stations not just become a point of boarding and alighting from trains; but also generate electricity through solar power.
“As on today, there are 79 railway stations and services buildings that are equipped with rooftop solar panels generating 7.23 MW of power over Central Railway,” said a senior Central Railway official on condition of anonymity.
The two railways are also saving a lot from harnessing various forms of renewable energy and reducing dependency on consumption of diesel. For instance, the WR authorities are saving Rs 58 crore by regeneration of three phase electric locomotives, Rs 225 crore by open access and another Rs 132.36 crore by net saving of diesel through Head on Generation system wherein power supply is drawn from overhead equipment cables.
As of January this year, the WR saved Rs 417.84 crore. The CR authorities too made their savings of Rs 543.14 crore which not just included usage of power from solar power generation but also from open access worth Rs 460 crore and Rs 79.64 crore by net saving of diesel through HOG system.
Source: freepressjournal
