The National Capital Regional Transport Corporation (NCRTC) on Monday (May 28) announced that its 2.21 megawatt peak (MWp) in-house solar power generation along the RRTS corridor is saving over 2,300 tons of carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) annually.
According to a statement, the NCRTC has made significant progress in adopting renewable energy, particularly solar power, along India’s first Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor. By putting up solar panels on rooftops, the NCRTC has turned its stations, depots, and receiving substations into hubs of clean and sustainable energy.
“Currently, 2.21 MWp of in-house solar power generation across the RRTS corridor is contributing to savings of over 2,300 tons of carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) annually,” the statement said.
Solar power plants now operational at five RRTS
NCRTC in its statement highlighted that the solar power plants are now operational at the Guldhar and Sahibabad Namo Bharat train stations, each with a peak power capacity of 729 kilowatts (kWp). Additionally, the Duhai Depot and Duhai Depot station have capacities of 585 kWp and 108 kWp, respectively.
The Murad Nagar Receiving Sub Station (RSS) with a capacity of 43 kWp and the Ghaziabad RSS with a capacity of 20 kWp also contribute to solar power generation. Installation at other stations is in progress.
Upon reaching the targeted 11 MW solar power capacity, the NCRTC expects to save around 11,500 tons of CO2 emissions annually, marking a significant advancement in the fight against climate change.
NCRTC’s solar initiatives
The NCRTC’s solar initiatives align with its solar policy adopted in March 2021, aiming to generate more than 11 MW peak of solar power across its facilities. The installation of solar power plants at Guldhar and Sahibabad stations, each equipped with 1,620 high-efficiency solar panels, exemplifies the NCRTC’s commitment to sustainability.
These installations are projected to generate around 1 million units of electricity annually per station. The Guldhar station is expected to consume around 500,000 units of electricity annually, while Sahibabad will utilize about 730,000 units for auxiliary loads, rendering both stations “Carbon Negative” (generating more power than they require).
All about 34-km section of Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor
Currently, a 34-km section between Sahibabad and Modi Nagar North of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor, which includes eight stations—Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai, Duhai Depot, Murad Nagar, Modi Nagar South, and Modi Nagar North—is operational for passengers.
As construction progresses on the remaining stretches of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor, the NCRTC is expected to complete the entire system by the anticipated operational deadline of June 2025.