COP27: Indian Railways mulls solar power push to meet net-zero norms

As COP27 turns the spotlight on climate-change goals by nations, Indian Railways is exploring the possibility of meeting all of its non-rail-operations’ power demand through solar energy, according to a communication by the railways ministry.

This is in line with the commitment of the national transporter to be net carbon-zero by the end of this decade. 

“The railways has been setting up solar plants on rooftops of stations and buildings like administrative offices and workshops. However, it has come to light that there is a huge untapped potential of rooftop solar plants that can be installed on rooftops of stadiums, railway clubs, institutes, schools, community centres and residential quarters. It is yet to be explored by the railways and can result in significant capacity addition of rooftop solar units, thereby meeting its non-traction energy demand,” the railway board said in a circular.

Zonal railways and production units have been asked by the ministry to prepare an action plan to cover these establishments to the maximum extent.

Railway experts suggest that the step is in the right direction, but faces execution hurdles. This is because there is a need for substantial infrastructure support to install rooftop solar panels at all these establishments. A sector expert said that it addresses one of the problems prevalent during the previous solar installation — a robust structure to support the panels.

Previously, installing these panels on comparatively weaker aluminium rooftops of stations had been a challenge as their load-carrying capacity was lower. With concrete rooftops in most stadiums, residential quarters, and other establishments, these issues are avoidable, he added. 

However, a majority of railways’ energy demand comes through traction.

“More than 80 per cent of railways energy requirements are on account of traction for which it draws electricity from the grid. Electricity produced by burning coal constitutes more than 70 per cent of electricity distributed by the Indian electricity grid.

An electric locomotive makes immense economic sense as compared to a diesel locomotive. However, when it comes to the environmental aspect, the real benefit is accrued only if the grid itself consists of electricity produced from renewable sources,” said LC Trivedi, a former general manager at the railways.

He added the current scenario in the railways is that total energy consumption is 18.41 billion units (BUs) for traction and 2.34 BUs for non-traction. Generation capacity from renewable sources is 142 megawatt (Mw) from solar and 103 Mw from wind. Approximately, only 3-4 per cent of the requirement is fulfilled from renewable sources.