India’s First Commercial Hydrogen Bus Deployment Begins In Ladakh, NTPC Hands Over Five Buses To SIDCO

In a boost for green mobility in Ladakh, five hydrogen fuel cell buses were officially flagged off on Friday (20 June), marking India's first-ever commercial hydrogen-powered bus deployment, reported The Times Of India.

State-run NTPC Limited handed over the buses to the State Industrial Development Corporation (SIDCO), and these buses will soon operate in Leh, home to the world's highest motorable roads, news agency PTI reported.

In a formal ceremony at NTPC's hydrogen mobility station in Palam, Leh, NTPC Limited handed over the green hydrogen buses to SIDCO.

Bhupesh Chaudhary, administrative secretary of the Transport Department, inspected the green hydrogen plant, including its production, storage, and dispensing systems.

He commended NTPC's technological feat in executing this project at high altitude and highlighted its role in achieving a carbon-neutral Ladakh.

Chief Secretary Pawan Kotwal lauded the "pioneering efforts" of NTPC, stating that the successful operationalisation of hydrogen buses in such extreme terrain "could usher in a new era of hydrogen fuel cell mobility in India." He also directed the corporation to document all operational learnings for replication across other regions.

This initiative is a result of collaborative efforts between NTPC and the Ladakh administration, symbolising India's growing leadership in renewable energy innovation and aligning with the Centre's broader push toward net-zero emissions.

NTPC launched the world's first hydrogen fueling station at such a high altitude (11,562 feet above sea level) in November last year.

Co-located with a 1.7 MW solar plant, the station operates entirely on renewable power.

This project expects to reduce carbon emissions by around 350 metric tonnes annually and contribute 230 metric tonnes of pure oxygen, equivalent to planting nearly 13,000 trees.

NTPC, India's largest integrated power utility, with over 81 GW of installed capacity, has an ambitious plan to reach 60 GW of renewable energy by 2032.