Why in News

The Indian Railways has decided to be self-reliant for its energy needs by utilizing its vacant lands for Renewable Energy (RE) projects.

• It will utilize solar energy for meeting its traction (action of drawing or pulling something over a surface) power requirements.

Key Points

• In January 2020, it was announced that the entire network of the Indian Railways will run on electricity by 2024 and become a net-zero emission network by 2030.
• Indian Railways is adopting an innovative concept of installation of solar projects along operational railway lines. This will help in:
  
  • Preventing encroachment.
  • Enhancing the speed and safety of trains.
  • Reduction of infrastructure costs due to direct injection of solar power into the traction network.
• Railway Energy Management Company Limited (REMCL) is working continuously to further proliferate the use of solar energy on mega-scale.
• With these mega initiatives, Indian Railways is leading India’s fight against climate challenge and is taking significant steps towards meeting its ambitious goal of being a net-zero carbon emissions organisation and meeting India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) targets.
• This would also help in making Indian Railways a complete ‘Green mode’ of transportation and ‘Atmanirbhar (energy self-sufficient transport organisation)’.
• Achievements:
  
  • Energy procurement from various solar projects like 3 MWp solar plant set up at Modern Coach Factory (MCF) Raebareli (Uttar Pradesh).
  • About 100 MWp rooftop solar systems on various stations and buildings of Railways.
  • A project of 1.7 MWp near Bina Traction Sub Station, Bina (Madhya Pradesh) connected directly to Overhead Traction System (OTS) will be commissioned shortly.
    
    • This is the first of its kind project in the world authorised by Indian Railways in collaboration with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL).
      
      • BHEL is one of the seven Maharatna companies.
      • The project was undertaken by BHEL under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scheme.
    • It involves the adoption of innovative technology for converting Direct Current (DC) to single-phase Alternating Current (AC) for feeding directly to Railway’s overhead traction system.
    • It can produce approximately 25 lakh units of energy annually and will save around Rs. 1.37 crore for Railways every year.