State run BHEL has come up with a first of its kind technology under the ‘Make in India’ initiative. The PSU has developed India’s first ever electric locomotive with a regenerative braking system through its in-house R&D centre. The locomotive was recently flagged off from the organisation’s plant in Jhansi.
First proposed by the Railway Ministry, the concept involving the energy-efficient regeneration system was put into shape by BHEL in a 5,000 HP WAG-7 electric locomotive. The technology is meant to be an upgrade to the existing dynamic braking system used presently in the locomotives. While the dynamic braking system leads to energy loss in the form of heat while braking, the regenerative braking system avoids this by feeding the energy back to the overhead power lines.
A tweet by the Ministry of Railways also stresses that the one-of-its-kind braking system in the conventional DC (direct current) locomotive has been produced for the first time in the world. The tweet further mentions that the technology will lead to a cost saving of Rs 25 lakh per locomotive per year.
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