Chandigarh: India is set to gets its first hydrogen-powered train service.
In a major step towards the country’ green energy goals, the Northern Railway-spearheaded initiative will be launched on the 89-km Jind-Sonepat route later this month.
The pilot project is in its final commissioning phase, the Haryana government said in a statement in Chandigarh.
A dedicated green hydrogen plant has been set up in Jind to power the locomotive.
The plant uses electrolysis to extract hydrogen from water, and has a storage capacity of 3 tonnes. To state government has guaranteed a stable 11kV power supply to ensure uninterrupted production.
It’s currently the largest on-ground facility of its kind in India.
The train, manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, can carry up to 2,638 passengers, making it one of the world’s longest hydrogen trains.
Following a high-level review with Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) officials, Haryana chief secretary Anurag Rastogi, directed that the power supply system should undergo regular audits. He emphasised the need for robust backup arrangements and rapid-response mechanisms to prevent any technical possible delay during the commissioning phase.
The pilot project of the hydrogen train is part of the Railway ministry’s ‘Hydrogen for Heritage’ initiative. The aim is to retrofit older diesel engines with clean technology.
With diesel replaced by hydrogen fuel cells, the train will emit only water vapour and heat, as India joins global leaders Germany and China in the race for zero-emission rail.
The pilot project will serve as a blueprint for decarbonising India’s huge non-electrified rail network by 2030.
