Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu inducts First DEMU Train with Solar powered Coaches into service of the Nation

On July 14, 2017, Indian Railways launched its first 1,600 HP solar powered Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) train from Safdarjung station, New Delhi

Specifications of First solar powered DEMU train:

The first DEMU Train with prototype solar based hotel load system has been manufactured by Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai & fitted with solar panels by Indian Railway Organisation for Alternate Fuels (IROAF). Hotel Load refers to  humanoccupancy aspects of a vehicle such as air conditioning and lighting, analogous to the features of a hotel.

• The train has a life span of 25 years and will have a capacity of 89 people per coach.
• The ten-coach train has two motor coaches and eight passenger coaches.
• The total cost of the train is Rs 13.54 crore with the passenger coaches costing around Rs 1 crore each and the two motor coaches costing around Rs 2.5 crore each. The solar panels on six coaches cost Rs 9 lakh each.
• Each coach has cushioned seats, rakes for luggage and display board.
• Solar hotel load system fitted on each of the six coaches is of 4.5 KWp capacity consisting of 16 Solar Panels of 300Wp. The energy generated by these panels will be stored in batteries and will be used during the night. The two passenger coaches which do not have solar panel will operate on diesel.
• The move is expected to save Rs 2 lakh worth of diesel per coach, per annum. It will help in reducing carbon dioxide of almost 9 tonnes per coach, per annum. It is also expected to save nearly Rs 672 crore per annum.
• The train will travel from Delhi’s Sarai Rohilla to Garhi Harsaru Junction in Haryana. It will replace an existing non-solar powered train on the same route.
• The fare for the journey that takes one and a half hour will remain the same.