Indian Railways plans to invest INR0.7 billion for building seven turbines with 1.5 megawatt (MW) capacity each at 10 MW wind farm in Saurashtra, Gujarat, Business Line reported. The wind farm will be operational by the end of fiscal 2009-10. The investment by Indian Railways could be scaled up and turbines of about 100 MW could be set up across various locations in the zone.

Western Railway Chief Public Relations Officer S S Gupta said that “We want to save on per unit cost of power, therefore, we are keen to invest in green energy. We buy power from various electricity boards at about INR 5.5 per unit and from wind energy we would be able to generate power at INR 3.5 per unit, therefore, it makes economic sense for the Western Railway to invest in wind energy.”

Suzlon Energy Ltd President (India Business Unit) Rohit Modi said that “Wind farms set up by the Railways are connected to the State grid and the generated power is supplied to the grid. The equivalent power is drawn by the Railways from the grid by paying wheeling charge.”

India Railways has also built wind farm in Tamil Nadu.