A train running on indigenously prepared hydrogen fuel will soon become a reality in our nation. A prototype is being manufactured, and trial runs are being conducted in Haryana. The train will be able to achieve a top speed of 160 km/hr in one initial tank filling of hydrogen fuel without refilling, running non-stop for up to 1,000 miles. This prototype doesn’t require the old conventional and polluting use of coal or electricity to power its engine.
Hydrogen fuel is clean and non-polluting, emitting only water vapor. It is said that the efficiency of engines running on hydrogen versus fossil fuels is 1:4. The mileage at sustainable speeds is 7.9 miles per kilogram of hydrogen. Reliance is the largest global producer of green hydrogen and plans to optimize production by 2025. The trial run is expected to be held in December 2023 and is a milestone achievement of the ingenious research prowess of the “Made in India” initiative.
There are only 28 of such trains made in Germany and around 8 in China. Indian railways intend to manufacture 35 of these to reduce carbon emissions. Indian companies will manufacture these trains for just 50 crores, whereas their foreign counterparts have manufactured them for a whopping 180 crores, making it sustainable within manageable limits.
