'Green Mobility': Indian Railways Invites Bids For Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Based Technology For Diesel-Run Trains

In a major stride towards green mobility in India, the Indian Railways Organisation of Alternative Fuels (IROAF) on Saturday (7 August) invited bids for Hydrogen Fuel Cell based Train on Indian Railways Network, which, it said, will be used to determine whether diesel-run trains can be operated by using hydrogen instead.

The technology will be tested on the Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) on the 89 km Sonipat-Jind section of the Northern Railway.

"Indian Railways Organization of Alternate Fuel (IROAF), Green Fuel vertical of Indian Railways, has invited the bids for Hydrogen Fuel Cell based Train on Railways Network. The project shall commence in 89km Sonipat-Jind section of Northern Railway," the Union Ministry of Railways said in a statement.

Notably, two DEMU rakes will be converted initially and later, two Hybrid locos will be converted based on Hydrogen Fuel cell power movement. Additionally, there will be no change in the driving console.

"The retrofitting of diesel-powered DEMU and converting it into hydrogen fuel-powered train set will not only save the cost to the tune of ₹2.3 crore annually by converting from diesel to hydrogen, but also save the carbon footprint (NO2) of 11.12 kilo tons per annum and particulate matter of 0.72 kilo tonnes per annum," the ministry added.

The ministry also informed that at the time very few countries are using this method. The trial of one rake is being done in Germany and the trial of the other in Poland is being undertaken at the moment.