IIM-C thinktank lauds ICF’s green initiatives

A case study titled “Towards carbon neutrality – The ICF of Indian Railways” done by an IIM-C team recently has revealed the overwhelming levels to which the premier coach factory of Indian Railways has cut down on its carbon dioxide (CO2) emission over the last few years. The report was released by IIT-Madras professor and Padmashri awardee Ashok Jhunjunwala in the factory on Saturday. It revealed that the net CO2 emission of ICF was in the negative in 2017-18 fiscal, thanks to the windmill and solar power generation of the factory.

The equated emission for electricity generated by windmill and solar plants was 16,815 tons, while the total direct and indirect CO2 emission was only 16,231 tons, which put the net emission at -584.62 tons in 2017-18 fiscal, compared to 3,517 tons the year before. Among the initiatives taken by ICF to achieve negative carbon emission was the reduction in furnace oil, diesel, acetylene, welding CO2, LPG and refrigerant at its various units.

Optimisation of resources and reduction in energy consumption had reflected in ICF’s average manpower requirement for coach production.

The average manpower per equated number of coaches fell to 5.2 in 2016-17 (2,277 coaches produced), against 8.0 of 2011-12 (1,511 coaches produced). Notably, the factory had the least manpower since 2011 only in 2016-17, 11,096 employees.

The benefit of switching over to LED light fittings from conventional lamps was palpable in ICF with the factory saving 1.3 million units of electricity, equivalent to 1,069 tons of CO2 emissions.

One of the key contributors to its energy consumption was fixing of occupancy sensors, which turn off power during non-occupancy, and replacement of window and split ACs with centralised air-conditioning systems in its offices, which reduced its energy consumption by 40 per cent.

The study claimed that water recycling, efficient fittings and water meters have scaled down water consumption in production from 168.5 KL per coach in 2013-14 to 101.9 KL in 2017-18.