11 Indian Railway Stations To Sport Rooftop Solar Panel, Save More Than 50% Of Electricity Bill

In order to save spiralling electricity bills, 11 railways stations in Palakkad and Thiruananthapuram railway divisions are deploying rooftop solar panels. Seems like a great next step to trying out country's first ever solar train, eh?

¡°As far as the Railways is concerned, it is a win-win situation,¡± said G Suryanarayana, divisional electrical engineer (general services) Palakkad division.

The rooftop solar plant with a capacity of 390-kilowatt peak will be installed at seven stations:- Kozhikode, Mangalore Central, Kannur, Palakkad, Shoranur, Mangalore Junction and Thalassery in Palakkad where as four plants with a total capacity of 300 kWp in Thiruvananthapuram division ¡ª Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, Nagercoil and Thrissur.

This will help reduce electricity bill

The move is expected to save the Railways a lot of money in electricity bill -- more than 50% of what they're paying right now. ¡°Currently, the Railways pays a tariff of Rs 8.10 per unit to the KSEB. Once the solar energy is produced, the Railways will need to pay only Rs 3.64 per unit for 25 years as per the deal agreed with Azure Power Rooftop Solutions Pvt Ltd," Mr Suryanarayana further said.

The cost of installing a 10 kWp plant is Rs 7.3 lakh. In Palakkad, a 10 kWp plant at the divisional railway manager¡¯s office and two 10 kWp plants at the Divisional Railway Hospital are already producing clean solar power. Similarly, a 10 kWp plant has been commissioned at the office of the divisional railway manager in Thiruvananthapuram also.

BCCL

Solar power to be generated at railway stations (in kWp) of Palakkad division

Kozhikode: 100 kWp

Mangalore Central: 60 kWp

Kannur: 50 kWp

Palakkad: 50 kWp

Shoranur: 50 kWp

Thalassery: 50 kWp

Mangalore Junction: 30 kWp

Total solar power generatedl: 390 kWp

Solar power to be generated at railway stations (in kWp) of Thiruvananthapuram division

Ernakulam: 100 kWp

Thiruvananthapuram: 80 kWp

Thrissur: 80 kWp

Nagercoil: 40 kWp

Total solar power generated: 300 kWp

Hopefully, this isn't an isolated instance, and that more Railway divisions take heart from this project and do their bit towards saving electricity and generating clean, green solar power.