The South Western Railway (SWR) has reportedly tapped solar power installing 3,605 kWp solar panels in 19 buildings, including railway stations, workshops and offices.
South Western Railway Hubballi workshop tops in solar power capacity with 1,045kWp, followed by the Mysuru workshop (500) and the DRM office Hubballi (320). With 290 kWp, Bengaluru City (Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna) railway station has the maximum capacity among railway stations reports ET.
The annual energy requirement of KSR railway station is 3.13 million units and around 14% of it is met by solar panels.
South Western Railway officials speaking to the publication said these solar panels generate about 3 million units per annum on an average, saving revenue of about Rs 70 lakh. “Energy generated by these plants ranges between two and four units per day per kWp, depending on the climatic conditions,” said E Vijaya, SWR chief PRO. She added that SWR hopes to meet the full energy requirement of Hubballi and Mysuru workshops with solar energy, making them carbon neutral.
SWR has identified 60 more stations where solar panels will be installed during 2019-20, southern railwy has already installed solar panels in 12 railway stations.
The annual energy requirement of SWR is about 47 million units, which includes 17 million units for Bengaluru division.
Germany offers tech help in e-bus project
In a bid to propel the adoption of electric vehicles, Germany has offered to provide $1 million technical help for the electric bus project.
Deputy CM Parameshwara said an MoU will be signed soon in consultation with the transport minister. He said existing diesel buses would be phased out slowly. This will go a long way in reducing air pollution in Bengaluru and other cities reports ET.