Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central (DRM) or Chennai Central railway station, which is part of the South Central Railway (SCR), is powered by solar energy, marking a significant step toward becoming the world’s largest green railway network.
The solar panels put atop the station’s platform shelters have helped the Chennai Railway Station become the first in India to meet the 100 percent day energy requirement objective.
Union Railways Minister Ashwani Vaishnav, who tweeted a photo of the station, said that the station has a solar power capacity of 1.5 MW and that this solar power will meet all of the station’s energy needs in the future.
Mr. Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, praised the move on Twitter, saying, “Happy to see the Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station show the way when it comes to solar energy.”
Setting the foot towards Green Railways
The Southern Railway Zone (SCR) is the first of many Indian Railway zones to implement the concept of energy-neutral railway stations. The Chennai Railway Station now has solar panels installed on all 13 of its station buildings, allowing it to fulfil 100 percent of its energy needs.
Power panels have also been put at several locations and railway stations, including the MMC complex, Tambaram, Mambalam, Katpati, and others.
Indian Railways moving towards “net-zero carbon emission“
Indian Railways is working to become the world’s largest green railway network by 2030, to achieve “net-zero carbon emissions.” The national transporter had previously announced in a statement on the occasion of World Environment Day 2021 that the railways are heading towards a total green restart.
The railways are vigorously pushing for the development of solar-powered stations that will contribute to environmental protection to exploit the extraordinary potential of renewable energy.
In this aspect, SCR’s recent accomplishment has already paved the path for Indian Railways’ “Green Restart” ambition.
Recognizing these significant advancements, the Indian Railways awards Green certificates to stations that are built with sustainable development goals in mind, such as energy conservation, renewable energy utilisation, and reduction of Green House Gas emissions, among others.
AtmaNirbhar Railways: Solar Energy for self-sufficiency
India is on the verge of a “energy revolution,” in which major sectors of the economy are upgrading their technologies to reduce carbon emissions while promoting sustainable development.
Solar energy, which is the most abundant renewable energy source in India, has a big potential in the country. India, being the world’s third-largest energy user, requires a well-balanced mix of commercial energy sources.
In this regard, Indian Railways now has 220 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy capacity, with another 3,450 MW on the way. According to the Ministry, it has a solar power potential of 20 GW and plans to use its unoccupied land parcels to build land-based solar facilities to meet its traction power needs.
The Indian Railways is now working with several donor agencies and stakeholders to speed up its low-carbon journey. Under its Power Sector Reforms Programme, it has even signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) for partnership on energy and sustainability.
To cover its non-traction power needs, Indian Railways is putting solar panels on the roofs of its numerous stations and service buildings. Solar panels have been installed on the roofs of over 1000 stations, with more on the way.
Indian Railways is also planning to build a one-of-a-kind solar plus storage hybrid experimental project at Dahod, Gujarat, which will be connected to the railway traction network.
Solar Powered Railway Stations across India
According to a study released by the Ministry of Railways, by January 2021, 111 MW of solar capacity had been installed on the roofs of numerous stations and administrative buildings, including:
- 3 MW Rooftop Solar plant at Howrah Railway Stations
- 1 MW Rooftop Solar at Katra Railway Stations
- 3 MW Solar Land-Based Project at Modern Coach Factory, Raebareli
- In June 2020, a 1.7 MW prototype solar installation in Bina, Madhya Pradesh, was commissioned to provide direct solar electricity to Indian Railways’ traction network.
In addition, the Indian Railways is completing many solar projects across various Railways zones in India to achieve the goal of building as many solar-powered stations as possible.
To summarise, India is on pace to achieve Green Restart, and the Indian Railways is on a quest to reach this goal by 2030, to be a “net-zero carbon emitter.”
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