Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW), Varanasi, has installed India’s first removable solar panels between active railway tracks as part of Indian Railways’ renewable energy initiatives.
The system employs an indigenous installation technique to mount solar panels without disrupting train operations and is designed for easy removal during track maintenance.
The panels are fixed on rubber pads and secured with epoxy adhesive to withstand vibrations from passing trains, news agency ANI reported.
“The length of the track is 70 meters, and 28 solar panels installed here will generate 67 units of electricity per day, with a capacity of 15 kilowatt peak (KWP). The power density is 220 KWp per km, and the energy density is 880 units per km per day,” said general manager Naresh Pal Singh.
He added that each panel measures 2,278 mm by 1,133 mm, weighs 31.83 kg, and has a module efficiency of 21.31 per cent. The panels feature 144 half-cut mono-crystalline PERC bifacial cells, an IP68 junction box, and a maximum system voltage of 1,500 V.
Officials told ANI that the project has the potential for wider adoption across Indian Railways’ 1.2 lakh km network, especially in yard lines where additional land is not required. Using the space between tracks, the system could generate 3.21 lakh units of electricity per year per kilometre.
{{/usCountry}}Officials told ANI that the project has the potential for wider adoption across Indian Railways’ 1.2 lakh km network, especially in yard lines where additional land is not required. Using the space between tracks, the system could generate 3.21 lakh units of electricity per year per kilometre.
{{/usCountry}}In a post on X, the Ministry of Railways described the project as a “historic first” and a step towards sustainable rail transport. BLW already operates rooftop solar plants, and this new initiative is expected to complement existing green energy efforts.
The development comes alongside other advancements in Indian Railways, including the flagging off of its first industrial salt-loaded rake from Sanosara to Dahej and the commissioning of the 2x25 kV electric traction system at the Nagda-Khachrod section, highlighting a simultaneous focus on renewable energy, freight growth, and infrastructure modernisation.