Solar energy for production needs will be used at the Vitebsk locomotive depot

October 5, Vitebsk / Sergey Kochetov - BELTA/. Solar energy will be used for production needs at the Vitebsk locomotive depot of the Vitebsk branch of Belarusian Railway. As Alexander Smantser, chief power engineer of the locomotive depot, told a BELTA correspondent, the implementation of a Belarusian-made photovoltaic complex is nearing completion here. It includes photovoltaic modules, which are installed on the roof of the building and capture solar energy, converting it into electricity. In turn, electricity is stored in gel batteries, which power LED lamps in the evening and at night. In addition, the use of motion sensors and photoacoustic units allows for efficient lighting management. The photovoltaic complex is planned to be used for lighting the fuel and oil base facilities of the locomotive depot. The implementation of the complex will save almost 4.2 thousand kWh of electricity per year, and the estimated economic effect from the project implementation on an annual basis will be about Br7.8 million. Thus, the use of the complex involves replacing more than 50 conventional lamps with LED lamps, the service life of which is 8-10 times longer than fluorescent lamps and 50-60 times longer than incandescent lamps. In addition, this will reduce energy consumption at the base facilities from 4.234 thousand kWh to 40-85 kWh (electricity from the regular grid will be consumed only during prolonged cloudy days). The complex is designed with the possibility of increasing the number of photovoltaic modules on the roof of the building, which will enhance the energy-saving effect. In addition, in the future, specialists at the locomotive depot plan to replace conventional luminaires with LED spotlights equipped with motion sensors for complete lighting of the fuel and oil base territory. -0-