India, through the Union Minister, officially flagged off its first green hydrogen fuel cell-powered bus at Kartavya Path in Delhi on Monday, Hindustan Times reports, citing the Press Information Bureau (PIB).
The trial program will deploy 15 hydrogen FCEV buses on particular routes across Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
Program details
Indian Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri stirred the program in partnership with IndianOil, ET asserted.
According to the report, Indian Oil will execute a “scientifically designed” program of launching 15 FCEV buses powered by green hydrogen for operational trials across the three Indian states mentioned above.
They kicked off the pilot program with the unveiling of the first two models of the 15 planned buses from Indian Gate on Monday. Meanwhile, the remaining units will follow by the end of this year.
IndianOil also ensured to support the program with the necessary dispensing sire at its R&D facility in Faridabad. It can refuel green hydrogen generated through solar photovoltaic panels or “electrolysis.”
The first set of two buses will run by over 3 lakh km to evaluate the technology’s durability and performance.
What is green hydrogen?
Green hydrogen is a renewable energy that can potentially aid the global push for C02 emission reduction and a self-reliant economy, as noted by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in a press release.
It is a type of hydrogen generated through water electrolysis using renewable electricity. Therefore, its production has a lower carbon footprint than fossil fuel-based grey hydrogen.
It has a strong potential to overthrow feedstocks from fossil fuels in various industries, such as petroleum refinement and fertilizer and steel production, the press release noted.
“With one of the largest synchronous grids in the world, we have achieved ‘One Nation-One Grid-One Frequency’, and would soon be global champion in production and exports of Hydrogen and is set to emerge as the Hub for green hydrogen.”
Singh Puri, Indian Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep
How does it work?
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe as it is present in almost anything, from water, oil, and natural gas to all living matters.
It is nearly always incorporated with other elements, as noted by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
In the aspect of fuel cell technology, hydrogen energy turns directly into electricity with low power losses and high efficiency. That said, hydrogen is an energy carrier that can efficiently store and deliver energy from other sources.
“The fuel cell utilizes hydrogen and air to generate electricity to power the bus and the only by-product from the bus is water, therefore making it possibly the most environmentally friendly mode of transportation as compared to conventional buses that run on diesel and petrol. With three times the energy density and the absence of harmful emissions, hydrogen shines as a cleaner, more efficient choice to meet the energy requirements.”
Singh Puri, Indian Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep
See Also:
- India sets ambitious goal to achieve energy independence through clean technology by 2047
- Adani, Ballard, Ashok Leyland collaborate on a pilot hydrogen-powered mining truck
- Auto Expo 2023: EVs gaining spotlight in India
- Tata Motors develops hydrogen propulsion technology for zero carbon vehicles
This pilot program can potentially advance India’s position from being a fossil fuel energy net importer to clean hydrogen energy, Mr. Puri claims. The government will utilize the data from this program to advance the country’s transition to clean mobility through green hydrogen technology. The planned 15 hydrogen FCEV buses will hit the Delhi NCR roads by the end of 2023.
