Railways are the best place to make use of the Solar energy generation. I'm saying this because we have an electric train here and as there is a heavy consumption, there can be scope for heavy production too. If more energy can be produced it can be sent to the grid and consumed by the railways. I'm not sure if using that large amount of solar panels can be affordable and a good solution.
The future is going to be solar based and it is good to start thinking along those lines so that we can have the right innovation at the right place and things can keep expanding.
Solar panels in Railway track
This is something that is already happening in countries like Switzerland. They have solar panels in the track and they generate some power. The main reason someone came up with this idea was to make sure the space in the track is fully utilized instead of wasting the space on barren land or forest floors and mountain floors. It not only occupies the land but it also affects the vegetation nearby.
There are both pros and cons to this approach. Someone asked what happens to the poop that is washed out through the bottom of the train if the track is going to be filled with panels. That's a good question. In India, the poop is not collected somewhere but instead, they are washed out on tracks from the moving train then and there. In this approach, there are many grey areas.
Panels on top of the train
The surface on top of the train can be another best place where solar panels can be used. There shouldn't be any problem in producing energy while the train is moving if I'm not wrong. But that will be a great option. The reason is that the top surface of the trains and even the sides can be fully covered with solar panels to produce the necessary energy.
Cost can play a very important role in this approach. If we can manufacture solar panels as low as a glass sheet, then I think we can experiment with all these things by implementing them on top of the train or in the body of the train. Some buildings have already started thinking about using Solar panels as their windows instead of glass.
Solar-operated Railway Stations
There is also a huge dependency on electricity for the railway station. Imagine if railway stations can take some initiatives and implement a solar panel it will be good because a lot of electricity can be produced and sent to the grid and at the same time during the night time the power that was sent to the grid can be consumed back from the credits.
There are also vendors and shops available inside railway stations. It will be great if those vendors and shops can generate their power with the help of some panels. Maybe this overall initiative can be taken by the railways department itself.
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