Rooftop Solar Power Plant installed at Meerut South Namo Bharat Station

 Rooftop Solar Power Plant installed at Meerut South Namo Bharat Station

– Installed capacity of 717-Kilowatt Peak (kWp)

Meerut-To promote the use of ‘clean and green’ energy through solar power generation, NCRTC has installed a rooftop solar power plant at Meerut South Namo Bharat Station. This initiative aligns with NCRTC’s broader vision to transform its stations, depots, and sub-stations into solar power generation hubs, thereby significantly reducing the system’s carbon footprint.

At present, solar power plants are installed and functional at Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai Namo Bharat Stations, and Duhai Depot Station and Depot Building as well as at Ghaziabad and Muradnagar Receiving Sub-Stations (RSS). Now, it has also been installed and commissioned at Meerut South Namo Bharat Station. This plant has a capacity of 717-kilowatt peak (kWp).

A total of 1304 solar panels, each with a capacity of 550-watt peak, have been installed on the rooftop of the station. This plant is expected to generate approximately 8.15 lakh units of solar energy annually, which is projected to reduce around 750 tonnes of carbon emissions per year.

NCRTC has made notable strides in harnessing renewable energy through solar infrastructure along the Delhi–Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor. Rooftop solar panels have been installed across various Namo Bharat stations, sub-stations and the Duhai Depot. The target is to generate 11 MW of solar power from the entire 82 km corridor, potentially reducing carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 11,500 tonnes annually through this enterprise.

Among the existing installations, the rooftop plant at Ghaziabad Station has the highest capacity, generating up to 1 MW (965 kWp). Installation at other Namo Bharat stations is also underway.

At present, with the commissioning of this solar plant at Meerut South, about 4.7 MWp of in-house solar power is being generated, contributing towards reducing over 4,900 tonnes carbon emissions annually. The aim of solar policy adopted by NCRTC is to enhance the share of renewable energy across its system by generating solar power. This initiative is in line with the objectives of the National Solar Mission and reinforces NCRTC’s commitment to advancing clean, sustainable energy sources for the region and the nation.

These efforts of NCRTC towards sustainability are also getting recognition and Sahibabad and Guldhar Namo Bharat Stations have been awarded with the esteemed IGBC Net-Zero Energy (Operations) rating. This recognition marks the first time ever that any station in the country has been awarded the Net Zero Energy (Operations) rating.

Provisions have also been made for rainwater harvesting systems, sewage treatment plants, LED lighting, green landscaping, and the use of natural light across its electrical sub-stations, Namo Bharat stations, and depots. Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai, and Meerut South stations are now “Carbon Neutral” and are able to meet their auxiliary power needs through the solar power plants installed at these respective stations. 

NCRTC’s continued focus on sustainable development, aims to promote the adoption of public transport while ensuring energy-efficient operations. The Namo Bharat trains are equipped with advanced regenerative braking systems that convert the train’s kinetic energy into electrical energy during braking. This also reduces wear and tear on critical components like wheels, break-pads and other moving parts of rolling stock, thereby optimising maintenance costs over the train’s lifecycle.

At present, a 55 km section of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor between New Ashok Nagar and Meerut South, comprising 11 stations, is operational and trial runs on the remaining sections is underway.