Along with the current initiative, another initiative of powering railway stations with solar energy is also considered
The Indian railway is all set to start using solar energy to power some of its passenger coaches this year. It is set to power 10 passenger non a/c coaches in the Mathura/Alwar rail section and 30 non a/c passenger coaches in the Lucknow/Varanasi section using solar energy technology. It is one of the few initiatives by the Indian Railway to power its coaches using sustainable energy. It was in the month of July 2017 that the railway ministry made its first move to solarise the railways. It is a part of the drive to reduce the dependence on non-renewable resources like electricity which is generated using traditional means.
Till a few years ago solar energy wasn’t that efficient and not many people used it. Another factor for it not being popular was because it was costly. But with the improvement of technology, its efficiency greatly improved and it became more cost-effective. It is a completely renewable source as the power of the sun never gets exhausted and it is green because the energy is completely eco-friendly with zero side effects. The latest solar panels can give you anything between 30-40% efficiency based on the quality of the panel.
Though initially the cost may be a bit high, in the long run, it can more than make up for it.
With the population explosion, the need for energy keeps rising and using solar energy can help us ease the pressure on these non-renewable resources. The initiative made by the Indian Railway Ministry will be beneficial not just for them but for the entire world as sustainable development is the future for our planet. Along with the current initiative, another initiative of powering railway stations with solar energy is also considered, and under that scheme already 79 stations in Madhya Pradesh have already been provided with solar panels. The work is done by private partners under the developer mode and the Indian railway doesn’t incur capital expenditure for the same.
Image credit: thehindubusinessline , railpost
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