Powering the railways with the sun

When we set out to bring Riding Sunbeams to India, it was not just about expansion. It was about reimagining how the world’s largest fully electrified railway network could be powered by the sun.

Born in the United Kingdom, Riding Sunbeams pioneered the world’s first solar-powered railway traction supply, connecting clean energy directly to train lines. Working with Network Rail, Transport for Wales, and UK community energy groups, we have shown that innovation and inclusion can travel on the same track.

Now, that innovation is finding a new home — in India.

Why India, why now

The Indian Railways is on a mission to reach net zero by 2030. It is one of the most ambitious sustainability goals in the world, demanding partnership, purpose, and practical innovation.

Riding Sunbeams India is here to help make that vision real — through clean energy integration, research collaborations, and solar traction pilots that bridge global expertise with local insight.

What we aim to deliver

We are working to:

• Accelerate clean energy adoption in the rail and transport sectors through solar traction pilots, feasibility studies, and research.

• Build strategic partnerships with government, industry, and academia to design scalable, bankable models for solar-powered railways.

• Empower communities and local innovation by supporting entrepreneurs, utilities, and cooperatives to make solar rail a story owned by India.

Our approach is simple: combine technical excellence, social inclusion, and economic sense to create progress that lasts.

Our value proposition

As a liaison office in India, we act as a bridge between policy, research, and innovation, helping partners move from ambition to action.

We offer:

• Technical expertise in renewable energy integration and transport electrification.

• Policy research and advisory services aligned with India’s net zero goals.

• Strategic communication and partnership building to unlock finance and drive awareness.

We believe sustainability should not just inspire — it must also deliver.

What we are doing so far in India

Our work in India is already under way:

In 2021 we worked with Delhi-based research consultancy Climate Trends and global engineering consultancy Ricardo to produce a high level feasibility study to begin to quantify the truly extraordinary scale of the opportunity for solar rail in India. This work found that up to one in four trains in India could run directly on sunshine, and it was this finding that has led to our establishing operations in India - the best place in the world for solar rail to thrive.

The main report is available here: https://www.ridingsunbeams.org/s/RS_IndianRailways_Report_FINAL.pdf and the accompanying technical assessment is available here: https://www.ridingsunbeams.org/s/RS_IndianRailways_Tech_FINAL.pdf    

• In collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru, we are developing a feasibility study on integrating solar power into the Namma Metro airport line, exploring how sunlight can directly energise train operations in the tech capital of India.

• Together with the UK-India government-backed Innovating for Transport and Environment Solutions (ITES) programme and our consultancy partners in New Delhi, En-genuity, we have developed the Indian Railways Decarbonisation Stakeholder Landscape Report, mapping progress so far and the key actors, challenges, and opportunities to drive India’s rail transition to clean energy. The report is available here: ITES R&D Impact Reporting - Indian Railways Decarbonisation Stakeholder Landscape Report April 2025

• In March 2025 we also shared some of these insights in a webinar for the Asian Development Bank on Sun Powered Futures, available here:. https://events.development.asia/materials/20250327/riding-sunbeams-solar-pv-and-net-zero-railways-case-india

These early steps mark the beginning of a long-term journey — one focused on collaboration, innovation, and scalable impact.

Meet our India Lead: Mahak Agrawal

Leading our work in India is Mahak Agrawal — an urban planner, climate scientist, public policy and sustainability strategist, artist, and communicator.

Mahak brings over a decade of experience across three continents, having worked with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, UN Environment Programme, World Bank Group, and European Climate Foundation. She has served twice as an Expert Reviewer for the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and contributed to global dialogues on climate resilience, sustainability, and public well-being. Mahak also serves as a Board Member (Urban Adaptation) of the ITA-AITES Committee on Underground Space (ITACUS) to drive dialogues and design solutions for urban sustainability with underground space use at its core. 

She blends scientific expertise with creative communication, always rooted in one belief — progress is most powerful when it is human.

When the world advised us not to hire a woman to lead our India work, we did exactly that. And we are proud of it. Because leadership, like innovation, knows no gender. It knows courage, conviction, and the ability to build something that lasts. With Mahak at the helm, Riding Sunbeams India stands for progress that is smart, inclusive, and locally led. Together, we are here to turn sunlight into movement and ambition into impact.

Turning sunlight into movement

Riding Sunbeams India stands for progress that is clean, inclusive, and locally led. Together, we are building the future of rail — one solar connection at a time.

Join the journey

Partner with us to power the next chapter of clean rail transport in India.
📧 Contact us: india@ridingsunbeams.org | mahak.agrawal@ridingsunbeams.org
🌍 Learn more: www.ridingsunbeams.org

Welcome aboard. The journey to net zero starts here.