India introduces solar-powered train

By Heather Hamilton, contributing writer

As Elon Musk gets serious about solar, the rest of the world follows suit. India, with its substantial rail network, is utilizing solar power for the first time. On July 14, Indian Railways introduced a train with rooftop solar panels capable of powering lights, fans, and information displays within passenger coaches, called the Diesel Electric Multiple Unit, or DEMU.

Quartz reports that a diesel locomotive continues to pull the actual train, though 16 solar panels now top each coach formerly powered by diesel generators. The railways believe that with just six solar-powered coaches, they’ll save nearly 21,000 liters of diesel per year — a somewhat insignificant amount, given that Indian Railways consumed about 2.6 billion liters of diesel last year. Contrary to the low net gain, economies of scale will amount to a much larger savings if adopted en masse, particularly as it relates to carbon emissions.

The first solar-powered train will go into service in New Delhi, to be followed by 24 more coaches, which will receive rooftop solar panels, as well as a battery to store extra power and an inverter to optimize power generation. The Hindu reports that the trains will be able to store enough energy to operate, even in the absence of sunlight. The Independent said that each solar-paneled coach has the capability of offsetting carbon emissions by nine tons per year.

Jakson Engineers, under the direction of the Indian Railways Organization for Alternate Fuels, developed the system. “It is not an easy task to fit solar panels on the roof of the train coaches that run at a speed of 80 km per hour,” explained Sundeep Gupta, Jakson Engineers vice-chairman and managing director, in an interview with the Business Standard. “Our engineering skills were put to a real test during the execution of this rooftop solar project for Indian Railways.”

Indian Railways hopes to generate approximately 1,000 MW of solar power by 2020, scaled up to 5,000 MW by 2025. The panels will last for up to 25 years and will need to undergo regular inspections. Engadget writes that Indian Railways is the largest rail network in Asia, running 11,000 trains daily and transporting 13 million passengers each day. This is $2.5 billion in diesel, which will be cut down by $6.31 billion in the next 10 years, thanks to solar-powered trains.

According to The Hindu, Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu called the train a “path-breaking leap” toward making trains more environmentally friendly. 

Source: Quartz,The Hindu,The Independent,Business Standard,Engadget
Image Source: Wikimedia