Date: 2025-12-11Category: Press ReleaseState: Union GovernmentCountry: India
Indian Railways Accelerates Renewable Energy for Traction With 812 MW Solar and 93 MW Wind Commissioned; 1,600 MW Round-the-Clock Hybrid Power Also Tied Up
**Executive Summary**
Indian Railways is actively working towards achieving Net Zero Carbon emissions by 2030 by modernising its infrastructure and rolling stock, increasing electrification, and using renewable energy sources. As of November 2025, 812 MW of solar and 93 MW of wind power have been commissioned and 1,600 MW round-the-clock hybrid power also tied up. Indian Railways is also pursuing hydrogen-powered train technology.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Electrification and Infrastructure Upgrade:**
* 99.2% of the Broad Gauge network is now electrified.
* Route electrification has more than doubled since 2014, rising from 21,801 km before 2014 to 46,900 km between 2014-2025.
* Indian Railways is upgrading infrastructure with modern technology to improve safety, punctuality, reliability, and passenger comfort.
* **Renewable Energy Initiatives:**
* Indian Railways plans to progressively meet electric power requirements for traction through renewable sources (solar, wind, etc.).
* 812 MW of solar and 93 MW of wind power plants have been commissioned by November 2025.
* 100 MW of renewable power under Round the Clock (RTC) mode from SECI has started flowing for traction.
* An additional 1,500 MW of renewable capacity under RTC mode has been tied up for traction power, using a hybrid solution of solar, wind, and storage.
* **Alternative Fuel and Technology:**
* Indian Railways is running its first hydrogen train on a pilot basis, as per specifications framed by the RDSO.
* State-of-the-art three-phase IGBT technology-based locomotives with regenerative braking features are being manufactured and commissioned.
* Coal-fired steam engines are being used on UNESCO accredited mountain railways and chartered trains.
* **Financial Information:**
* The expenditure on traction for Indian Railways during 2023-24 was Rs 29,614 crore.
**Impact Analysis**
**Indian Railways:**
* **Impact:** Reduced carbon emissions, modernization of infrastructure, adoption of cleaner energy sources, alignment with Net Zero Carbon goals.
* **Action Required:** Continue implementing renewable energy projects, expanding electrification, developing hydrogen train technology.
**Passengers:**
* **Impact:** Enhanced passenger comfort and reliability.
* **Action Required:** None.
**Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology:**
* **Impact:** Responsible for answering questions in Lok Sabha.
* **Action Required:** Ensure all information about initiatives is provided to Lok Sabha.
Key Entities Referenced
Indian Railways: Organization targeting net-zero carbon emissions by 2030 and focused on electrification and renewable energy integration.
Net Zero Carbon Emitter by 2030: Indian Railways' target to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by the year 2030.
Electrification of Broad Gauge Network: Ongoing project of Indian Railways to electrify the broad gauge network.
Research, Design & Standards Organization (RDSO): Organization involved in framing specifications for the hydrogen train project of Indian Railways.
Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI): Entity providing renewable power to Indian Railways under Round the Clock (RTC) mode.
Ministry of Railways
Indian Railways Accelerates Renewable Energy
for Traction With 812 MW Solar and 93 MW Wind
Commissioned; 1,600 MW Round-the-Clock
Hybrid Power Also Tied Up
Indian Railways Targets Net Zero Carbon by 2030,
Progressively Meeting Power Needs Through Solar, Wind and
Other Renewable Sources
99.2% of Broad Gauge Network Already Electrified; Route
Electrification More Than Doubles Since 2014, Rising From
21,801 km in Six Decades to 46,900 km Between 2014-25
प्रव तथ: 11 DEC 2025 3:09PM by PIB Delhi
Indian Railways is continuously upgrading its infrastructure and rolling stock by adopting the latest
technologies to enhance safety, punctuality, reliability, and passenger comfort. These upgrades reflect a
focused effort to modernize the system and meet growing passenger expectations.
With the adoption of modern technology and Electrification of rail network, there has been reduction in the
use of coal based engines and Diesel engines.
Electrification of railway network on Indian Railways has been taken up in mission mode. So far, about
99.2% of Broad Gauge (BG) network has been electrified. The electrification in remaining network has been
taken up. Electrification carried out during 2014-25 and before 2014 is as under:
Period Route Km
Before 2014 (about 60 years) 21,801
2014-25 46,900
Indian Railways is now manufacturing and commissioning state of the art three-phase IGBT technology
based locomotives. These locomotives have regenerative features and are therefore able to regenerate part of
the energy consumed during braking and therefore more energy efficient.
The coal-fired steam engines are being utilised on UNESCO accredited mountain railways, seasonal steam
hauled trains and in chartered trains in association with ICRTC. Their utilisation is on railway routes having
heritage values.Indian Railways has planned to progressively meet its electric power requirement for traction purpose
through renewable energy sources with combination of solar, wind and other renewable sources based on
strategic power procurement planning, thereby reducing its carbon emissions.
Till November 2025, about 812 Mega Watt (MW) of solar plants and about 93 MW of wind power plants
have been commissioned, which are meeting traction requirement of IR. Further, 100 MW of renewable
power under Round the Clock (RTC) mode tied up from solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has also
started flowing for traction purpose.
In addition to this, 1,500 MW renewable capacity under RTC mode has been tied up to meet traction power
requirement. This is hybrid solution consisting of solar, wind and storage component.
During year 2023-24, the expenditure on traction on Indian Railways was Rs 29,614 cr which included all
type traction.
Indian Railways has also taken up a state of the art project for running of its first hydrogen train, on pilot
basis, as per specifications framed by the Research, Design & Standards Organization (RDSO) to demonstrate
the use of hydrogen powered train technology in Railways. The project establishes a commitment of Indian
Railways towards advancement in alternative energy powered train travel thereby ensuring a cleaner and
greener future for the country’s transportation sector.
As part of its strategy to achieve the target of Net Zero Carbon Emitter by 2030, Indian Railways has planned
to progressively meets its electric power requirement through renewable energy sources with combination of
solar, wind and other renewable sources based on strategic power procurement planning, thereby reducing its
carbon emissions.
This information was provided by the Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting and
Electronics & Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.
*****
Dharmendra Tewari/ Dr. Nayan Solanki/ Manik Sharma
(रलीज़ आईडी: 2202239) आगंतुक पटल : 631
इस वज्ञ को इन भाषाओ ंम पढ़: Urdu , ही , Marathi