Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for India’s energy self-reliance is coming to fruition, with a focus on electric mobility, a gas-based economy, and green hydrogen production. The significant step towards this goal was marked by the Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, who flagged off the first Green Hydrogen Fuel Cell bus in New Delhi.
The event, attended by schoolchildren, officials, and media, showcased the potential of hydrogen as a future fuel. Puri emphasized the environmental benefits of hydrogen, stating that fuel cells use hydrogen and air to generate electricity for buses, emitting only water as a by-product. This makes hydrogen-powered buses a cleaner and more efficient mode of transportation compared to traditional diesel and petrol buses. Notably, these buses can charge fully in just a few minutes.
Puri outlined the government’s priorities, noting that emerging fuels like hydrogen and biofuels are expected to account for 25% of global incremental energy demand growth over the next two decades. He highlighted India’s potential to become a global leader in hydrogen production and exports, with ambitious plans to develop a green hydrogen hub.
By inaugurating the first two hydrogen fuel cell buses, India has set in motion plans to introduce 15 more of these eco-friendly buses on Delhi NCR roads by year-end. Puri described this initiative as a game-changer for urban transportation and commended IndianOil for collaborating with Tata Motors to develop indigenous fuel cell and hydrogen infrastructure solutions. He emphasized that the success of this project could transform India from a net importer of fossil energy into a net exporter of clean hydrogen energy.
Other dignitaries present at the event included Rameswar Teli, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, and S.M. Vaidya, Chairman of IndianOil, among others. Teli underscored the importance of hydrogen in transitioning to a carbon-free economy and lauded the launch as a significant step towards India’s commitment to a cleaner and greener future.
The 15 fuel cell buses will operate on specific routes in Delhi-NCR, and their performance data will be closely monitored to assess their efficiency in Indian conditions. This initiative aims to cover a cumulative distance of 3 lakh kilometers to establish the effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability of the entire value chain.
