Prayagraj,

22 Feb (HS): Committed to a sustainable and environmentally responsible future,

North Central Railway (NCR) is at the forefront of Indian Railways transition towards

green energy. Embracing renewable solutions as a mission, NCR is steadily

advancing in its efforts to revolutionize energy consumption within its

infrastructure. Achieving a significant milestone in sustainable energy

management, the Electric Loco Shed, Kanpur, has received the prestigious Zero

and Zero Plus Energy Certification. This recognition highlights its commitment

to environmental conservation and energy self-sufficiency, strengthening North

Central Railway’s dedication to green

energy.

NCR

has undertaken an extensive initiative to secure Zero and Zero Plus Energy

Certification for its office buildings. Under this initiative, the total energy

consumption of each building is assessed, and through advanced global

technologies, consumption is reduced while an equivalent or greater amount of

energy is generated through solar panels. This enables the buildings to become

self-sufficient in energy, eliminating the need for external power sources and

achieving the Zero and Zero Plus certification. These certifications are

granted by accredited energy auditors designated by the Bureau of Energy

Efficiency, Government of India, following a thorough energy audit of the

buildings.

In

a significant milestone, the buildings of the Electric Loco Shed, Kanpur,

including the Planning, Research, and Development Office, Sub-Station, Traction

Depot, Time Office, and Store Depot, received Zero and Zero Plus Energy

Certification on February 12, 2025.

Previously,

the 'Ganga' and 'Powerhouse' buildings at the General Manager’s office were

awarded Zero Plus certification, while 'Saraswati' received Zero Energy

certification. Certification for the Passenger Ticket Reservation Office in

Dholpur, the Supervisor Training Center in Jhansi, and the Parcel Office in

Aligarh is also in progress.

NCR

is also set to expand its green energy initiatives with the installation of

solar power plants with a cumulative capacity of 17.84 MW across all three

divisions, targeted for completion by June 2025 as per the Railway Board’s

directive. This initiative is projected to generate 32.3 million units of

cost-effective and environmentally friendly electricity annually, resulting in

savings of approximately ₹14.9 crore. Additionally, this will lead to a

reduction of 27,187 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

In

the current fiscal year (April 2024 - January 2025), NCR has already generated

9.75 million units of solar electricity from its 12.47 MWp installed capacity,

resulting in ₹4.37 crore in savings and preventing 8,192 metric tons of carbon

emissions.

Consistently

excelling in energy conservation, NCR has emerged as a leader in the field over

the past two years. The zone has achieved notable accolades, including the

First Prize in the 'Zonal Railway Category' at the National Energy Conservation

Awards 2023, the First Prize at the 'Uttar Pradesh Energy Conservation Awards

2024,' and a 'Certificate of Merit' in the 'Building Category' for Subedarganj

Railway Station. These prestigious recognitions underscore NCR’s efforts and contributions

to energy conservation on both national and international platforms.

This

ambitious green energy program has been led by Shri Anoop Kumar Agrawal,

Principal Chief Electrical Engineer, along with Shri Krishna Mohan Singh, Chief

Electrical Engineer (Energy Management), and his dedicated team, including

Senior Engineer Shri Praveen Newalkar and Junior Engineer Shri Chandan Bhai

Rawal. Their commitment continues to drive NCR’s sustainability initiatives

towards a greener future.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi