Railways completes solar power installations at 960 stations

New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) In a bid to achieve the objective of 100 per cent self-sustainability for all power needs, the Indian Railways has completed the task of installing solar power plants at 960 stations and ordered solar power panels for 550 more stations.

A Railway Ministry spokesperson said the national transporter had solarised more than 960 stations till now, adding orders have been placed for an additional 198 MW solar rooftop capacity for 550 stations which were under execution.

The Indian Railways’ plans were part of its objective to become a net zero carbon emitter by 2030 as it has a landpool of more than 51,000 hectares.

The Railways plans to generate 33 billion units by 2030, 10 billion more than its current requirement. It also plans to install solar plants of 20 GW capacity by utilising its vacant land by 2030.

The official said the Railways was set to achieve 100 per cent electrification by 2023. Indian Railways was committed to utilise solar energy for meeting its traction power requirement and become a complete green mode of transportation, the Railway Ministry added.

This was in line with the recent directive by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to solarise railway stations and utilise vacant railway land for renewable energy (RE) projects, the official added.

The national transporter had invited bids for three solar projects on vacant railway land parcels and land parcels along railway tracks have already been invited by the Railway Energy Management Company Ltd (REMCL), a PSU of Indian Railways.

–IANS

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