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Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu announced on Tuesday that his ministry is thinking of setting up solar thermal power plants on Railways lands.
The aim is to bring down greenhouse emissions and reduce the energy bill.
The Railways Ministry is studying the feasibility of such projects under the public private partnership (PPP) model, he said at the India Business and Climate Summit, which was organised by the CII and World Resource Institute here on Tuesday.
Solar thermal power plants not only produce electricity but also heat, which can be put to industrial use. A couple of power companies have successfully implemented such projects in Rajasthan.
Pointing out that the Railways is one of the largest consumers of electricity and diesel in the country, Prabhu said there is a need to reduce its carbon footprint. The Railways administration cannot continue to depend on non-renewable resources if carbon emissions have to be curtailed, he added.
“After salaries, the second biggest bill that the Railways has to foot is the energy bill. The use of renewable sources of energy would definitely impact the bottom line,” he said.
The Railways has plenty of land nationwide, where such solar thermal projects can be set up, he added.
Prabhu further said his ministry has already started the process of installing rooftop solar panels on Railways buildings for electricity generation.
Energy audits Some innovative initiatives, such as to harness solar power from the roofs of Railways coaches, are also being taken. There is also a need to conduct energy audits in order to keep a control over carbon emissions and effective use of electricity, the Minister observed. Prabhu in his maiden Railway Budget, had said the Centre will be setting up 1,000 MW solar plants in the next five years.
Environmental Advisor to the Railway Board, K Swaminathan, told BusinessLine on the sidelines of the summit that the total electricity requirement of the Railways is in the range of 3,500 to 4,000 MW. Therefore the plan by 2020 is to generate 1,000 MW of green power from solar and other renewable sources, he said.
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