Delhi Metro to combat climate change by installing rooftop photovoltaic plants

The construction of the large scale solar photovoltaic plant of 500 kW capacity started at Dwarka Sector-21 Metro Station, New Delhi. The plant is expected to start generating electricity by the end of July. With this plant, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) becomes the first metro in India to promote solar on such a large scale. The project is the direct result of the project ComSolar implemented by GIZ India under the International Climate Initiative (IKI).

The Delhi Metro is the largest metro rail system in India and it began its operation in 2002. More than 25 lakh passengers travel daily through the world class metro rail system in Delhi run by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (DMRC).  On one hand such transport systems are rapidly transforming cities but on the other hand the massive infrastructure associated also requires huge amount of electricity.

The first module of the 500 kW plant was installed on Sunday in the presence of Mr. Anoop Kumar Gupta, Director, Electrical, DMRC, Mr. Timon Herzog, Principal Advisor, German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the team responsible to realise the project from DMRC.

GIZ is working together with the engineering team from DMRC to identify more rooftops for installation of a cumulative 10 MW capacity and to also train DMRC’s officials to replicate such projects beyond GIZ’s support.

Within the context of the International Climate Initiative (IKI), Germany's Environment Ministry (BMUB) has commissioned the project ComSolar since 2009 to works towards promotion of solar energy in the urban and industrial areas of India.