East Coast Railway saved over Rs 118 crore on diesel costs by using technology

The East Coast Railway has saved Rs 118.29 crore on diesel costs by using a technology called Head On Generation (HOG) in trains between April and November this year. In HOG, power is drawn from an overhead electric supply and the power generator cars provide a noise-free and pollution-free environment for passengers in stations. There is a sharp fall in the cost of power in trains using HOG technology than normal LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) coaches, a statement issued by the ECoR said.

The cost of power in normal LHB coaches is over Rs 36 per unit and in rakes with the HOG system, the cost comes down to Rs 6 per unit, it said. The East Coast Railway has to date converted 55 trains into HOG technology, the statement said.

The HOG system was implemented in line with Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to be communicated to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and India's commitment to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 45 per cent by 2030.

Railways Minister Ashwin Vaishnaw has planned to gradually reduce its carbon footprint and become Net Zero Carbon Emitter by 2030, the statement said. Indian Railways is taking several measures to achieve the Net Zero Carbon Emitter target.

Adoption of the HOG system in LHB coaches in trains is one such step towards fulfilment of this vision, it said. This technology uses only one standby silent generator car for an emergency. The cost of electricity generation from DG set and in self-generating coaches is very high in normal LHB rakes increasing diesel consumption.