India takes bold step toward green hydrogen-powered transportation

Flagging off the first hydrogen fuel cell bus signals India’s commitment to clean, sustainable transportation.

Addressing the nation from the historic Red Fort in Delhi, Prime Minister’s vision for green hydrogen as the cornerstone of green growth and job creation, while setting a global example for clean energy transition, was reiterated by Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Housing & Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri. He made these remarks during the flagging-off ceremony of the first Green Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus from Kartavya Path, New Delhi. The event was attended by Rameswar Teli, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas & Labour and Employment; Pankaj Jain, Secretary, MoP&NG; and S M Vaidya, Chairman, IndianOil.

During the ceremony, Hardeep Singh Puri elucidated the concept of hydrogen and its advantages as a future fuel. He emphasised that hydrogen fuel cells generate electricity using hydrogen and air, producing only water as a by-product, making them the most environmentally friendly mode of transportation compared to diesel and petrol-powered buses. Additionally, hydrogen-powered buses can fully charge within a few minutes.

Puri also discussed the government’s ambitious plans for clean and green energy, stating that emerging fuels like hydrogen and bio-fuels are expected to account for 25 percent of global incremental energy demand growth in the next two decades. He proudly mentioned India’s progress in achieving ‘One Nation-One Grid-One Frequency’ and its aspiration to become a global leader in hydrogen production and exports.

He commended the collaboration between industry and the government, highlighting the launch of the world’s first BS 6 (Stage II) Electrified Flex Fuel vehicle prototype and the flagging-off of the first two hydrogen fuel cell buses. Puri expected 15 more such buses to be operational on Delhi NCR roads by the end of the year.

Puri marked the hydrogen-powered buses as a game-changer for city transportation in India and praised IndianOil for its collaborative efforts with Tata Motors to develop indigenous solutions for fuel cells and hydrogen infrastructure. He believed that the success of this project could transform India from a net importer of fossil energy to a net exporter of clean hydrogen energy.

Rameshwar Teli emphasised the importance of hydrogen in the transition to a carbon-free economy, calling it a key player in mitigating climate change. Pankaj Jain, Secretary, MoP&NG, hailed the launch of the Green Hydrogen bus as a symbol of India’s shift away from conventional fuels and encouraged school children to explore and learn about green technologies.

Chairman of IndianOil, S M Vaidya, expressed hydrogen’s potential to be a game-changer in India’s quest to achieve Net-Zero emissions by 2070. He emphasized IndianOil’s commitment to sustainable solutions for green mobility and the establishment of 15 fuel cell buses in the Delhi NCR Region to gather performance data under Indian operating conditions, covering a cumulative 3 lakh kilometers to assess the value chain’s efficacy, efficiency, and sustainability.