Here is the good news as Indian Railways introduced its first solar powered train this month which promises to save almost 21000 litres of diesel every year. This newly launched, first solar-powered train in India is government’s initiative to start an eco-friendly transportation system plying to the of widest networks of trains.
First Solar powered train launched in India by Indian Railways
The solar panels have been installed on the top of the trains to get charged by the sunlight during the day time. The lights, fans, air conditioners and the display unit of the train which was running by diesel and electricity till date will now be backed up by the solar panels atop the train. It is a 1,600 horsepower Diesel Electrical Multiple Unit (DEMU) trains that are also powered by 16 solar panels on each carriage along with the battery back-up.
The new solar powered train has become operational from Delhi, which is the medium of transport of over 23 million passengers every day. However, the Indian railway department is planning to induct four more trains with solar panels in India in the coming six months whose routes are yet to be decided.
Advantages of the solar powered trains in India
With the introduction of solar powered trains in India, the central government has canceled the plans of establishing coal power stations. Not only this, the new newly installed solar panels over the train will help to stop the emission of nine tons of carbon in a year. The union railway minister is calling the solar powered trains as a medium to path-breaking leap in the history of the Indian railways with cleaner and efficient fuels.
However, the project of installing solar panels atop DEMU train are handed over to the Jackson Engineers. In a statement given to Business Standard, the Vice Chairman and the Managing Director of the Jackson Engineers mentioned that installation of solar panels on train tops that runs at a speed of 80 km per hour was not at all easy task. The project proved to be a test of their engineering skills.
We congratulate our central government as well as the railway ministry of starting with a solar powered train from New Delhi in India and hope that a few more trains like this will run soon across the country making it a cleaner and greener India.
Source: independent.co.uk
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