On February 1, 2020, the Indian Minister of Finance introduced the 2020-21 federal budget. India will allocate 220 billion rupees (about 3.08 billion US dollars) for the power and renewable energy industry in 2020. Solar power to electrify 27,000 kilometers of railway.

Indian Railways operates more than 8,000 stations across the subcontinent and is India's largest power consumer, accounting for approximately 2% of India's energy consumption.

The Indian Railway Corporation pays about three to four times the cost of solar power. Therefore, the company plans to install solar modules on stations and trains. The rooftop solar power generation on the top of railway buildings will meet the power demand of non-traction loads such as railway stations. The ground photovoltaic power plant will meet both traction and non-traction power needs.

Indian Railways plans to purchase more than 1,000 MW of solar energy in 2021-22, of which 500 MW will be installed on the roof of railway buildings to meet the non-traction load of the railway station.

In addition to energy costs, Indian Railways, as an Indian state-owned enterprise, also bears the heavy responsibility of the Indian government to reduce emissions. Indian Railways plans to become the world's first 100% green railway network by 2029, with a focus on roadside and static roof facilities. It can be expected that the Indian Railways, which is a state-owned enterprise in the next 2-3 years, will receive priority financial support from the Indian government. Editor / Zhao Yongjing