The Indian Railways could meet up to 25 per cent of its energy demand from renewable energy sources like wind and solar power, said a study by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW).
According to IANS, the study released in New Delhi by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu and Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal, the railways would achieve the target of 5GW of solar power by 2025.
Of the total 5 GW solar power, about 1.1 GW would come from rooftop solar power plants.
The Railway Minsiter said that the ministry is looking to add 1,000 MW of solar and 200 MW of wind energy, of which 36 MW has already been commissioned.
The Union Minister for Power Piyush Goyal, who also holds the Coal, New and Renewable Energy, and Mines portfolio said that railways have come out with a commendable plan called Mission 41K where they are looking at a saving of INR 410 billion through the electrification of railway lines.
The minister said that the Railways’ decision to domestically source the equipment will largely benefit the domestic industry.
The Indian Railways announced their 1GW solar target in 2015 and had achieved about 37MW of wind and 16MW of solar power across railway operations until March 2017.
