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Solar Power Installed on India’s Clean Public Transportation Terminals

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Indian Solar Rooftops Set a World Standard
Indian Solar Rooftops Set a World Standard

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is one of the world’s greenest, made greener by the addition of its first solar power installation on a DMRC terminal near Delhi International Airport.

People in big cities need to move around, whether for work, school, or play, and everything in between, and Delhi, the capital of India, has some of the worst automobile traffic in the world. Cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, and bicycles cram cities streets almost all day long, making commuting a dangerous and dirty proposition. As in most cities, public rail transportation is often smoother and more time-effective. The DMRC public transportation system also happens to be one of the world’s most environmentally-responsible, employing electric locomotives, regenerative braking, and next month, solar power.

Delhi’s public transportation system is the world’s first to qualify for United Nations Clean Development Mechanism Carbon Credits, having meticulously and scientifically calculated emissions per passenger mile, saving thousands of tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year. After some careful consideration, DMRC figured that the addition of solar power could significantly reduce its carbon footprint. The first solar power project, installed on a DMRC terminal near Delhi International Airport, is rated at 500 kW, and will be turned on next month.

What has been hailed as Delhi’s largest rooftop solar power project is only the first, as DMRC plans on installing even more solar power capacity at various stations, platforms, and train yards. Ranging in capacity from 90 kW to 2.5 MW, there are so many that DMRC calculates a potential 52 MW capacity, all of which feeds into its all-electric rail system and station electrical grids. Considering that electricity is a major part of DMRC’s business model, 52 MW of solar power capacity could result in energy savings of up to $8 million per year, not to mention further greenhouse gas offsets.

Image © Delhi Metro Rail Corporation

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