INDIAN Railways is
soon going to materialise its ambitious plan of harnessing solar energy
for running trains. The prototype of the solar power- enabled coach is
undergoing trials and soon the entire train will be fitted with solar
panels, officials said. They said while solar power will significantly
bring down diesel consumption, it will also prove to be costeffective.
At present, nearly 17 units of electricity are being generated from the
solar power enabled coach. " As the pilot project, one non- AC coach
has been fitted with solar panels on the rooftop. The trial has been
successful so far with the coach generating nearly 17 units of
electricity every day. Depending on its success, decision will be taken
to convert the entire train into a solar power- enabled one," said
Divisional Railway Manager, Arun Arora.
Officials said by
harnessing solar power, the railways will be able to save ` 1.24 lakh
per coach year. " Solar energy will be used to meet the electricity
needs in moving trains, and reduce diesel consumption and carbon dioxide
emissions," Arora said.
According to studies, a train using
solar power can reduce diesel consumption by up to 90,000 litres per
year and also bring down the carbon dioxide emission by over 200 tonnes. As per the plan, the train would be pulled by conventional diesel- run
engines while solar panels will provide all the internal electricity
needs for lights and fans on both AC and non- AC coaches.
Prototype coach is undergoing trials Officials said India has a huge solar power potential with availability
of good amount of sunlight for major part of the day round the year.
Harnessing solar power to power Indian Railways is more feasible and
cost- effective. The clear motive of the project is to cut down
on railways fuel bill, which is the second- largest component of
expenditure after the employee salaries for the cash- strapped
government behemoth used by over 1.3 crore people every day.
In
2013- 14, from the Rs 1.27 lakh crore of Indian Railways expenditure,
nearly Rs 28,500 crore ( 22 per cent) were spent on fuel. According to a Northern Railway official, 40 sqmetre of space is
available on a trains roof top. Of these, nearly 24 sq- metre of space
is covered with 12 solar panels. The remaining 16 sq- metre of space can
further accommodate six solar panels, officials said. As per the
mechanism, alternate coaches are provided with solar panels and when
required electricity is fed from the adjoining coach.
Indian
Railways has been focusing on alternate source of fuels with trials
already on to use CNG, biodiesel and natural gas among others. CNG is
being used in local trains on Rohtak? Rewari section of Delhi Division.
The dual fuel concept of using CNG and diesel has also helped in saving
fuel and money.
Solar power will significantly cut diesel consumption
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