Kochi Metro Rail Limited on its way to achieving 60% energy neutrality by utilising solar energy

KOCHI: Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) is on its way to achieving 60% energy neutrality by utilising solar energy. The metro agency will be commissioning an additional 5.4MWP capacity system on its buildings and tracks in 2020 to increase the output to 1.57 crore units/year and maintain 60% energy neutrality.

The installation of rooftop solar panels will be completed by mid of November 2020 and rest of the work by December 2020.

According to KMRL, this initiative has brought down carbon emissions by 13,302 tonnes a year, which is equal to planting 5,33,033 trees. “We are pushing for maximising the solar energy generation. We have a solar energy policy in place. We are installing solar plants in all our areas, as far as possible, to gain green and clean power. The same will be replicated in the Water Metro project also,” said KMRL managing director Alkesh Kumar Sharma.

KMRL has already completed the installation of solar panels at Thykoodam metro station. Work is progressing at Vyttila, Petta, South, Kadavanthra and Elamkulam. There are also plans to install solar panels at JLN metro station’s rooftop of the corporate office and track and ramp area at Muttom Depot.

The metro agency has commissioned three large-scale solar power generation systems in the past two years. The first phase of the project, which is 2.670MWP in capacity and capable of generating 36.5 Lakhs Unit/Year was implemented through RESCO (Renewable Energy Service Company) in 2018. This contributed to 60% of the total energy consumed at that point in time.

However, the neutrality was reduced by half to 30% with the opening of new stations in the Maharajas-Thykoodam stretch.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes