Solar panels on rooftop spaces along Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS to reduce CO2 emissions: NCRTC

New Delhi: The NCRTC is installing solar panels on rooftop spaces along the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS, which is expected to yield 12.5 million units of solar energy and reduce 11,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, officials said on Saturday.

A solar capacity of about three MW has already been installed over the platform sheds of RRTS stations at Sahibabad, Guldhar, Duhai, and also the Duhai Depot station and Duhai workshop of the priority section, which will be able to meet the auxiliary load requirement of these locations, they said.

"The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) is poised to install about 11 megawatt of solar capacity over its rooftop spaces along the 82 km-long Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor. This initiative is expected to yield 12.5 million units of solar energy annually and a reduction of 11,500 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually,' an official said.

Further solar power plants will be installed at the remaining stations of the RRTS corridor progressively. NCRTC aspires to cover 70 per cent of the total energy requirement of the entire Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor through solar energy, officials said.

The Sahibabad station's solar power plant, with a total capacity of 729 kilowatt and 1,620 high-efficiency solar panels, is expected to generate about 10 lakh units of electricity annually. The Duhai Depot houses a solar power plant with an installed capacity of 585 KW, they stated.

The adoption of green technologies, including low-carbon initiatives, has been integral from the pre-design stage of the RRTS project, officials said.

Initiatives such as the use of fly ash bricks, efficient disposal of construction and demolition waste, creation of airy and comfortable interiors, energy-efficient designs, implementation of rainwater harvesting systems, and extensive utilisation of solar energy underscore NCRTC's dedication to sustainability, officials said.

Throughout the design, construction, and operation stages, careful adherence to green parameters has been a priority, they said.

Moreover, elaborate landscaping efforts at Sahibabad station and Ghaziabad RSS and the space beneath the RRTS viaduct contribute to a comprehensive approach that significantly reduces energy consumption and carbon footprint, they said.

The NCRTC will further explore potential opportunities in electric and transformative mobility, a hydrogen-based economy, and other alternative fuel and energy sources to reduce the carbon footprint, they said.

The 17-km long priority section of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor is currently operational. Team NCRTC is working rapidly towards running Namo Bharat trains in the additional 25 km long section from Duhai to Meerut South i.e. beyond the priority section in another two months.