The Mumbai Metro One Private Limited (MMOPL), seeking to use a renewable energy source, has decided to go green by installing solar panels on all 12 Metro stations and one on the Metro depot for the V
The Mumbai Metro One Private Limited (MMOPL), seeking to use a renewable energy source, has decided to go green by installing solar panels on all 12 Metro stations and one on the Metro depot for the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar (VAG) Metro-1 corridor in order to meet its daily power needs.
The move is expected to meet 30 per cent of the Metro’s non-traction power requirement.
The initiative is a part of MMOPL’s ‘Go green go clean’ campaign, launched to mark Mumbai Metro’s second anniversary on Wednesday.
The Mumbai Metro was inaugurated by Congress-Nationalist Congress Party government on June 8, 2014, months before the state Assembly elections.
The MMOPL also plans to install LED lights at Metro stations, the depot and all its administrative offices to reduce its electricity consumption.
“The rooftop solar panels will be installed at four locations inside the Metro depot and at all 12 locations. The entire solar-power generating system will have an installed capacity of 2.3 megawatts of which two megawatts will be produced from the rooftop installations at the stations,” an MMOPL official said.
Currently, the Metro’s auxiliary power requirement for non-traction use is 6.9 megawatts, 30 per cent of which will be met with solar energy once the system is implemented. “We have short-listed the vendor who will be given the work for the installation and the deadline to make the system go live is by the year-end,” said the official.
Furthermore, the electricity generated from the solar panels will be utilised for non-traction use in activities like lighting, air-conditioning and maintenance.
The MMOPL has also slashed its water consumption for cleaning train compartments by a whopping 90 per cent from an earlier 200 litres to just 20 litres for each train. “This was achieved by using a durable epoxy coating on the train floors, which repels dust and dirt and is easier to wash. Due to the special floor coating, the train compartments do not require heavy washing any more,” the MMOPL official said.
