‘Railways aim to save big on energy’: Installing solar power at central railway stations

Central Railway has installed solar plants that are grid-connected, providing energy to several railway stations, hospitals and establishments, including amenities such as water coolers. Solar panels were earlier installed at the CSMT station building, Kalyan railway school, Kalyan railway hospital, Kurla and Sanpada car sheds, Lonavala, Khandala, Dockyard Road, Asangaon, Roha, Apta, Pen and Chembur railway stations. There are solar panels that generate more than 125 kilowatts (kW) of power.

Solar energy will also be used for operations at the three central railway stations of Titwala, Kasara, and Igatpuri, including a railway hospital and its adjoining premises. Additionally, solar water coolers and station lighting are included. The sub-divisional hospital at Igatpuri has also commissioned 5 kWp rooftop solar panels. ‘The annual energy generation of this solar plant is 6,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) and the annual savings will be approximately R45,000,’ Central Railway chief spokesperson Shivaji Sutar said.

A rooftop grid-connected solar plant of 40 kilowatts capacity has been commissioned at each station platform at Igatpuri and Kasara. ‘This rooftop grid-connected solar plant generates 48,000 kWh of energy per year, which is equivalent to saving about R7.2 lakh per year,’ he said.

Another official said, ‘To make use of the track-side land and the various other vacant premises, Central Railway has identified vacant trackside stretches as well as the unutilized land parcels for setting up land-based solar power plants aggregating a capacity of 109 MWp (megawatt peak) used actually for train running purposes. These solar power plants are expected to generate 143 million units of energy per year and will yield a saving of R43 crore in energy bill per annum.’

According to Western Railway officials, they also use the sun’s energy. In total, 89 stations have installed rooftop solar panels over WR with a total capacity of 6.551 MW. Sumit Thakur, Western Railway’s chief spokesperson, said that the solar panels are installed on the rooftops of railway stations, station buildings and their offices to harvest energy from the sun.