Lok Sabha Question No. 180 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-07
Subject: Solar Trains
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: P.P. Chaudhary, Pratap Chandra Sarangi, Sangamlal Kadedin Gupta, Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, Ramapati Ram Tripathi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 180 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.12.2022

## SOLAR TRAINS

180. SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY:

SHRI PRATAP CHANDRA SARANGI:

SHRI SANGAM LAL GUPTA:

SHRI BRIJBHUSHAN SHARAN SINGH:

DR. RAMAPATI RAM TRIPATHI:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to State:

- (a)    whether  the  Government  has any  plans  to  achieve  the  target  of making Railways a net zero emitter of Carbon Pollution by 2030, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (b)    the steps taken by the Government to achieve the said goal since 2019; and;
- (c)    whether  there  exists  a  proposal  to  induct  solar  trains  in  the railway fleet, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND

ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a) to (c): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

.

*****

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (c)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  No.  180  BY  SHRI  P.P.  CHAUDHARY,  SHRI PRATAP CHANDRA SARANGI, SHRI SANGAM LAL GUPTA, SHRI BRIJBHUSHAN SHARAN SINGH AND DR. RAMAPATI RAM TRIPATHI TO BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  07.12.2022  REGARDING  SOLAR TRAINS

- (a)  and  (b)  Indian  Railways  (IR)  has  envisioned  to  achieve  net  zero carbon  emission  by  2030.    Following  measures  have,  inter-alia,  been undertaken in this regard:
- i) 100% Electrification of Broad Gauge (BG) Railway network.
- ii) About 142 Mega Watt (MW) of solar plants (both on Rooftops and on its vacant land) and about 103 MW of Wind power plants have been commissioned (till 31.10.2022).
- iii) Use  of  Insulated  Gate  Bipolar  Transistor  (IGBT)  based  3-phase propulsion system with regenerative braking in locomotives, Electrical Multiple Unit (EMU) trains, Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) trains, Kolkata Metro rakes and Electric train sets.
- iv) Conversion  of  End  on  Generation  (EOG)  trains  into  Head  on Generation  (HOG)  trains  to  reduce  noise,  air  pollution  and  diesel consumption.
- v) Provision  of  Light  emitting  diode  (LED)  lighting  in  all  Railway installations including Railway stations, service buildings, Residential quarters  and  coaches  for reduction in electricity consumption.
- vi) Afforestation of railway land to increase carbon sink.
- vii) Green  Certifications-  Green  Certifications  of  various  industrial units, railway stations and other railway establishments have been done. Further, Environment Management System (EMS): ISO 14001 certification of various railway stations has also been done.

- viii) Construction  of  Eastern  and  Western  Dedicated  Freight  Corridors (DFCs).
- ix) Installation of waste to energy plants.

Further, IR has decided to progressively procure renewable energy to reduce energy consumption through conventional sources.

(c) At present, there is no proposal to induct solar train in the Railway fleet. The solar system works during the day time and generate battery backup of approximately 4 to 5 hours. System does not work properly during fog/rain and winter season and battery backup goes down to 2 to 3 hours depending upon weather conditions. Therefore, the system has not been pursued further.

*****