In sync with the government’s aim to shift to clean and renewable energy sources, Indian Railways’ Southern Railway zone is working on their renewable energy generation capacity. Various measure taken by SR zone has allowed it to save energy of 570 million units of traction category and 18 million units in a non-traction category in the last year, reported. It has cut down its carbon emission by 588000 metric tonnes, bringing a notional saving of Rs 377 crore. The Southern Railways hopes to achieve the target of net-zero emission by 2030. Here we look at some of the steps take by the railways in achieving their target of energy saving in the past year.
Electrification
With an aim to complete 100 per cent electrification of train routes, SR has added 370 track kilometres to the electrified network in 2020-21. This has allowed the railways to reduce diesel locomotive operation and improve operational efficiency by introducing electric run passengers and good trains.
SR has also managed to reduce the electricity consumption by achieving Energy Saving Certificates (EScerts) under PAT scheme of BEE, revising contracted maximum demand with State Electricity board and provisioning of Power Quality Compensating Equipment
Online Monitoring
SR is also doing online monitoring of fuel-saving by shutting down the engine during idle hours. This has resulted in a total saving of Rs 47 crores in 2020-21. Reduction in the number of locomotive engines in operation from 340 to 120,and filling depots have also allowed railways to cut down the diesel consumption and save a total of Rs 371 crores in the current financial year already.
3 Phase EMUs
SR undertook the process of a 3-phase introduction of EMUs in Chennai suburban and MEMUs in another remote area instead of the conventional EMUs and MEMU. BLDC fans and LED lights were used instead of conventional lights and fans for energy-saving purposes. This allowed railways to cut down 29 per cent energy consumption in EMUs and 23 per cent in MEMU.
Efficient Loco Sheds
Railways electric locomotive shed at Arakkonam, Roypuram and Erode are certified by ISO 50001 and are equipped with energy-saving features like AFC panel with reactor and screw compressor. The introduction of Dual Mode Shunting Locomotive has eliminated the need for diesel shunting locomotive saving Rs 3.66 crore of railways expenses.
The total holding of electric locomotives has increased to 568 and diesel locomotives have been reduced to 120, allowing railways to save a huge quantity of diesel while increasing the trains’ running efficiency
Modern Rolling Stock
SR has also replaced the conventional design rakes with 77 energy-efficient LHB design coaches. Out of these 77, 37 pairs are running on Head on Generation technology that eliminates operation of Diesel generators in power thereby saving huge quantity of diesel and air pollution.
Till August 2021, SR had saved 22.65 lakh litre diesel worth Rs 38 crore. SR has also installed a 4.9 MWp of solar energy. The annual solar energy generation during 2020-21 was 4.07 million units which lead to a national saving of Rs 1.77 crore.
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