Hydrogen fuel cells considered an important technology for energy conversion, are still in the development phase. Hydrogen-powered buses are also being tested in Reliance Industries Limited.
Hydrogen fuel cells bus
First Hydrogen Fuel Bus Service in Leh, Ladakh:
India's first hydrogen fuel cell bus service is about to start in Leh, Ladakh, which will usher in a new era of environment-friendly transport. This new project, led by India's largest power producer NTPC, focuses on making Ladakh a carbon-neutral region. The introduction of hydrogen fuel cell buses is a significant step in reaching this lofty aim. The first hydrogen fuel cell bus service will start in Leh, marking the first commercial test of this state-of-the-art technology on public roads in the state's high-altitude, cold desert.
Green Transport in Ladakh
NTPC, the largest power producer in India, is leading the project and the organization has handed over five hydrogen fuel cell buses for intra-city transport to the Leh government. The government organization has also built a fuel station and a 1.7-MW captive solar facility to produce green hydrogen to power buses. The government has given 7.5 acres of land on lease for infrastructure.
NTPC's Vision and Initiatives
In April 2020, a global expression of interest was issued, placing an order for Ashok Leyland to provide the buses at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore per unit. The cost of travel in hydrogen fuel cell buses will be comparable to that of contemporary 9-metre diesel buses. There was a plan to start this service on the first Independence Day, but due to floods and landslides, the first bus reached Leh late, so this service has not been inaugurated yet.
Carbon-neutral Ladakh will be made
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his 2020 Independence Day speech put forth his goal of making Ladakh carbon-neutral. Now this project has been completed in less than two years. "Ladakh nestled in the Himalayan peaks is marching towards new heights," stated the Prime Minister, "and we must not only protect but also care for them." "Ladakh, Leh, and Kargil can all claim to be 'carbon neutral' regions, just as Sikkim in the Northeast has claimed to be an 'organic state.'"
Reliance Industries is also testing hydrogen buses
However, hydrogen fuel cells, considered an important technology for energy conversion, are still in the development phase. Hydrogen-powered buses are also being tested in Reliance Industries Limited. Soon commercial hydrogen fuel cell buses will be used on public highways in India. Testing of this technology will be done for the first time in a rare environment of more than 11,500 feet and low oxygen. Its real test will be in winter when the average temperature of Leh drops below minus 20 degrees Celsius. This low temperature combined with cold air can damage machines. According to NTPC officials, Chairman Gurdeep Singh's pressure to keep the organization at the forefront of change with these new technologies propelled the project, which is being funded through the SR budget.
