• The Indian Railways has successfully tested a hydrogen-powered train developed at the Integral Coach Factory, Chennai.
• The train will soon operate between Jind and Sonipat in Haryana, making India the fifth country after Germany, France, Sweden, and China to introduce this green technology.
• Powered by hydrogen fuel cells, the train produces electricity by converting hydrogen into water, emitting zero carbon dioxide. A 1-MW polymer electrolyte membrane electrolyser in Jind generates hydrogen using renewable energy.
• The new train has a 1,200 HP engine, a capacity of 2,638 passengers, and a top speed of 110 km/h.
• The project is part of the National Green Hydrogen Mission, which targets the production of five million metric tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030.
• The government has allocated Rs 2,800 crore to roll out 35 hydrogen trains by 2024-25. Researchers are also working to reduce costs by replacing costly metals like platinum with nickel and cobalt in electrolysers and fuel cells.
• This milestone represents a significant step towards India’s goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2070 through sustainable transport solutions.