Indian Railways Sets up a Solar Power Plant in Rajasthan to Run Trains on Solar Energy

Rail News: Due to shortage of coal and scorching heat, there is a situation of energy crisis in the country. Meanwhile, the railway administration has taken steps towards expanding the scope of green (renewable) energy. North Western Railway will now operate 8 railway stations of Rajasthan mostly with solar energy. In this, the Gandhi Nagar railway station of Jaipur will be illuminated with 100 percent solar energy. Under this, there is a preparation for zero carbon emission (Net Zero Carbon Emission). Gandhinagar station has to get electricity from DISCOM. Annually 60 thousand 509 units of electricity is being produced from the solar energy already installed at Gandhinagar station. Despite this, it has to take 3 Lakh 48 thousand 371 units of electricity annually from the DISCOM. After the installation of solar panels, out of 1.5 MW, 1.3 MW of energy will be produced here. This will be the first station of North Western Railway to be operated by 100 percent solar power.
First Train in the World to Run with Solar energy, Initiated by Indian Railways
Railways have built a 1.7 MW solar power plant at Bina, Madhya Pradesh with the help of BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited). According to the railways, solar energy has not been used to run trains in the world till now. Railway networks, at different places in the world, use solar energy mainly to meet the electricity needs of stations, residential colonies and offices. Indian Railways along with BHEL has built this plant in just eight months.
Solar Panels Have Been Installed in Trains
Indian Railways had installed solar panels on the roof of coaches of some trains. Lights and fans are run in trains with the electricity produced with the help of these panels. But till now, no railway network has used solar energy to operate trains. Now Jaipur Railway Station is among the elite club of railways stations which is harnessing solar power for its operations. Jaipur railway station's rooftop installed solar panels produced 260 units of electricity which was 35 units more than its daily capacity.The operation was inaugurated by the general manager of North Western Railways (NWR) Anil Singhal who informed media persons during his inspection of Jaipur railway station,"The energy harnessed from the solar panels will help Jaipur railway station save Rs 7.2 Lakh on power bills, annually. Our projection is to produce 50-kilowatt power in a year. In future, we would like to double the capacity of green energy at Jaipur station.
Talking about the NWR efforts to reduce the carbon foot print by replacing diesel and electricity consumption by green energy, Singhal said, "The NWR will set up small solar plants at small stations of capacity upto 25 kWp .Even at railway crossings we have made the provision to harness solar energy," informed Singhal. Officials said that within two years, Jaipur division will help in reducing 500 tons of carbon footprint and will move a step closer towards green corridor. The lifecycle of solar panels is between 20 and 25 years.
He said that solar plants in Ajmer, Abu Road, Jaipur and Rewari are just the beginning of a larger plan to introduce solar plants across the NWR division. The windmill in Dangri village at Fatehgarh sub-division, Jaisalmer, will produce 25 megawatt electricity per year."At present, the power is being transferred to the Central Railway at Jabalpur,"said Tarun Jain, chief public relations officer, NWR. The NWR region is saving Rs 77 Lakh on power bills and on fuel, and in the coming years they will end up saving Rs 4.5 crore.
The Trains Will Run with 25000 Volts Current
According to the NCRTC officials, by directing solar energy into a transformer, a lot of electricity can be supplied with which the engines of the trains can continue to run without affecting the speed. The trains will operate with a current of about 25,000 volts. This much power can be obtained only through solar energy.
Lakh Units of Electricity Will Be Produced
The solar plant will generate DC power which will be converted into AC through an inverter and transferred through a transformer to transmit the energy of 25KV AC to the overhead (electric wires above the trains). This solar plant will generate 24.82 Lakh units of electricity annually. Railways expect to save Rs 1.37 Crores in annual electricity bill once this plant is operational.