The Northeast Frontier Railway or NFR is making significant strides in green energy by installing rooftop solar power plants across its service buildings and installations. This initiative aligns with Indian Railways’ goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2030.
In its efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and meet energy demands through renewable sources, NFR has generated 1.45 million units of energy from renewable sources, saving approximately ₹97.9 lakhs during the period from April to June 2024. Additionally, improvements in power factor and timely payment rebates have led to further savings of about ₹66.7 lakhs in the same period.
As part of the ‘Go-Green’ mission, solar rooftop panels installed across various stations and service buildings under NFR have produced a cumulative 6764 Kilo Watt Peak (kWp) power by June 2024. The installed capacities across different divisions are as follows:
Katihar: 610 kWp
Alipurduar: 381 kWp
Rangiya: 1066 kWp
Lumding: 1020 kWp
Tinsukia: 190 kWp
The headquarters complex of NFR and the Guwahati Sub-divisional unit together have a combined installed capacity of 1497 kWp. The two major workshops at New Bongaigaon and Dibrugarh each have an installed capacity of 1000 kWp.
In Assam and Tripura, 24 stations and field office buildings have been equipped with solar rooftop panels, generating a total of 642 kWp from April to June 2024. Major stations fitted with solar panels include Udaipur (Lumding division), and Bamunigaon, Azara, Gohpur, Barpeta Road, Dudhnoi, and Krishnai (Rangiya division).
Furthermore, NFR has installed 2100 BLDC (Brushless DC) fans across the zone during this period, saving 32 watts per fan and approximately 806 units of energy consumption.
NFR aims to expand its solar initiatives to all feasible station buildings, service offices, residential buildings, and LC gates. By maximizing the use of solar energy, NFR not only supports environmental sustainability but also contributes to cost savings and reduces foreign exchange expenditure.
