Western Railway (WR) has discontinued a pilot project that combined wind and solar power to generate electricity at two suburban railway locations after an evaluation found that the system produced significantly less power and cost substantially more than conventional solar installations.
The wind-solar hybrid systems were installed at the Bandra-Khar and Naigaon-Vasai sections, with each site equipped with a peak capacity of 4 kW—comprising 2 kW of solar and 2 kW of wind capacity. Together, the two sites had a total installed capacity of 8 kWp.
The systems were commissioned on May 10, 2023, and generated a combined 8,793 kWh of electricity during the evaluation period ending January 15, 2025.
According to the performance assessment, the plants generated 1,099 kWh per kWp over the evaluation period. The report recorded power generation of 1.78 kWh per kWp per hour and a capacity utilisation factor (CUF) of 7.42%.
By comparison, the report cited an average generation of 3.6 kWh per kWp per hour and a CUF of 15% for conventional solar systems. On this basis, the hybrid system's generation was 49.44% below the benchmark cited for conventional solar.
The project was undertaken at a total cost of Rs 19.47 lakh, with M/s Research Centre for Sustainable Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Nashik, appointed as the implementing agency.
Cost emerged as another major concern. The assessment put the cost of a conventional solar project at around Rs 50,000 per kWp, while the wind-solar hybrid system cost approximately Rs 2.43 lakh per kWp—nearly 4.86 times higher.
Despite the substantially higher capital expenditure, the hybrid system did not deliver a corresponding increase in electricity generation.
The assessment also noted that the expected benefits of combining wind and solar power were not fully realised, partly because of the system's performance limitations and lag.
The hybrid installations also required battery storage to manage fluctuations in renewable power generation.
At each site, a 24-volt battery bank was charged using electricity generated by the solar panels and wind turbine. An inverter converted the stored DC power into 230-volt AC electricity for appliances such as lights and fans.
When renewable generation was insufficient, the batteries supplied power to the load. Once the batteries were discharged, the system switched to grid power. An AC charger was also provided to prevent deep discharge of the batteries.
However, the battery system introduced additional maintenance requirements. The assessment noted that the batteries needed regular monitoring and replacement in accordance with applicable regulations.
The evaluation concluded that the low power generation, high capital cost and additional battery-related maintenance requirements did not provide a viable advantage over conventional solar systems.
Western Railway subsequently closed the pilot project.
The findings could influence how the Railways assesses renewable-energy solutions for suburban infrastructure in the future, particularly for projects where capital costs, power output, maintenance requirements and long-term operating costs are key considerations.
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