India's first indigenous hydrogen train to be operational in 2023

01 Jan 2023 CW Team

The Indian Railways will unveil the country's first indigenously made hydrogen train in the new year to address climate concerns. This will be introduced as a replacement for polluting diesel engines. In addition, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Railway Minister, hinted that the hydrogen train will be smaller than a conventional one, with only 6-8 coaches.

This is expected to assist India in meeting the Paris Agreement's climate goals. The entire world is frantically searching for solutions to the ever-increasing climate crisis. Countries are focusing on introducing green fuels such as hydrogen in the transportation sector as part of this. This industry is currently heavily reliant on fossil fuels.

Railway travel is more environmentally friendly than road travel. However, railways contribute only 1 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. The main reason for this is the diesel engine.

In August 2022, the world's first hydrogen train will be introduced. 'Coradia Island' was the name given to it. They were created by Alstom. A 62-mile route in Germany's Lower Saxony region is home to 14 hydrogen trains.

The hydrogen train has zero carbon emissions and is environmentally friendly. One kg of hydrogen can provide the energy equivalent of 4.5 kg of diesel. A boon for rural roads where electrification is impractical and services are scarce. These trains make no loud noises. There is an abundance of hydrogen on the planet. It can be obtained from the sea.

Within 20 minutes, hydrogen fuel can be filled. The trains on Coradia Island use hydrogen fuel-cell technology. There are no harmful emissions from these. This will save approximately 16 lakh litres of diesel per year. As a result, the annual emission of 4 thousand tonnes of CO2 will be reduced. These trains can travel a thousand km after being refuelled.

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