Vadodara railway division is launching new green initiatives. After Ode railway station in Anand district became the first railway station to switch over to solar power, the division decided to turn 15 small and medium level railway stations falling under it also into solar powered stations.
The railway division already has received the distinction of being the first such old railway division office building in the country to receive the BEE 5-star rating from the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).
For this the railway division had taken steps like replacing old ceiling fans, putting up electronic fan regulators in place of conventional regulators, installing occupancy sensors which automatically switch off lights and air-conditioners of the office among others.
BEE star rating is given based on energy performance index (EPI) which is calculated based on kilowatt energy consumption per hour per square metre per year. BEE 5-star rating is given if the EPI is below 35 kilowatt hour per square metre per year.
With 31.14 EPI, the divisional office building at Pratapnagar, was well below the 35 EPI mark which ensured BEE 5-star rating for the government building.
“As we move forward, we are also encouraging usage of solar power. At Ode railway station in Anand, we connected all the existing fittings to solar panels. The solar panels at the railway platform are mounted on lighting poles. Now, we are short listing, 15 small and medium level railway stations falling under our division to switch over to the green energy,” divisional railway manager of Vadodara railway division Naveen Kumar Shukla told TOI.
While all the existing fittings at these railway stations will be connected to solar panels, the division will also keep the conventional lines on standby basis to meet up energy demand in case of emergencies.
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