Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) is on its way to achieving 60% energy neutrality soon by utilising solar power. The metro agency will be commissioning 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 is slated to be completed by November and rest of the work by December 2020. 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 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 too,” said KMRL, MD, Alkesh Kumar Sharma.
The installation of solar panels has already completed at the Thykoodam metro station. Work is in progress at Vyttila, Petta, South, Kadavanthra and Elamkulam. There are also plans to install solar panels at JLN metro station’s corporate office and track and ramp area at Muttom Depot.
The metro agency commissioned three large scale solar power generation systems in past two years. First phase of the project, which is 2.670MWP in capacity and capable of generating 36.5 lakh unit/year was implemented through Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) in 2018. This contributed to 60% of the total energy consumed at that point of time. However, the neutrality was reduced by half with the opening of stations in the Maharaja’s-Thykoodam stretch.
