Lucknow metro latest to take the solar route
LUCKNOW: Realizing the significance of solar energy, Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) is going eco-friendly by utilizing solar photovoltaic systems to run its metro stations and depots — a move which will reduce its dependency on grid power.
The photovoltaic cells installed at Transportnagar depot generates about 1-megawatt solar energy daily. It is utilized to run lights, lifts, escalators, air conditioners and other electrical installations at eight functional Metro stations and the depot in Lucknow.
LMRC says that it is building another sub-station at Munshipulia which will feed solar power to the entire 23 km long North-South Corridor (Phase 1A), from the Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport to the Airport Metro Station Munshipulia.
The solar cells will be installed on the rooftops of the stations.
“The Receiving Sub Station (RSS) is designed to feed 25kV traction power and 33kV auxiliary power to the entire Metro corridor of Phase 1A of the Lucknow Metro Rail Project,” says Kumar Keshav, Managing Director, (LMRC).
“It will be a state-of-the-art 220kV/33kV/25kV Receiving Sub Station (RSS) cum Auxiliary main Sub Station cum Traction Sub Station,” he adds.
Amit Srivastava, Public Relations Officer, LMRC says that the Lucknow metro plans to best utilize solar power in the future installations as well.
“Presently, LMRC draws 6 mega volt-ampere power from Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) and with the solar cell installations we are planning to reduce that dependence on the grid,” he says.
Similar moves have already been undertaken by the Delhi and Mumbai metro. Bengaluru metro has announced its plan to go solar. In a major eco-friendly stride in the transport sector, the Cochin International Airport had become the first fully solar-powered airport in the world.
India has set an ambitious target of installing 100 GW of solar power by 2022.
Source: developmentchannel.org
