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Journalism of Courage
— Kannan K
Recently, Indian Railways successfully tested the first hydrogen-powered coach or driving power car, marking a key milestone in the national transporter’s quest to build India’s first hydrogen-powered train.
Hydrogen-powered trains have also emerged as a promising technological innovation in the global quest for decarbonisation. Effective deployment of Hydrogen fuel trains has the potential to pay significant dividends, particularly for India, which has one of the world’s largest rail networks and an ambitious target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2070.
In comparison to the traditional diesel-electric locomotives that still dominate large sections of the railway network, hydrogen trains – often referred to as ‘hydrail’or ‘H-trains’ – provide a viable, zero-emission alternative.
Hydrogen trains are electric trains with an onboard power source, unlike conventional electric trains that are powered via overhead wires. They use HFC (Hydrogen Fuel Cell) technology, which generates energy through the electrochemical reaction of compressed hydrogen with atmospheric oxygen, emitting water vapour as the sole byproduct. This makes the system a zero-emission mechanism at the point of use.
The electricity produced by the fuel cell is stored in batteries, which provide additional power during acceleration and climbing inclines. Hydrogen trains also employ regenerative braking technology, which captures the kinetic energy (motion energy) generated during braking and converts it into electricity to recharge onboard batteries.
Powered by Green Hydrogen – which is produced via the electrolysis of water using renewable energy with near-zero GHG emissions – Hydrogen Fuel Cell technology can ensure that these trains are truly a green and sustainable form of transportation.
Hydrail offers significant advantages, including:
— The elimination of smoke emissions from fuel combustion, leading to reduced noise and air pollution.
— Hydrogen trains can operate on both electrified and non-electrified routes, bringing greater operational flexibility in deployment.
— Hydrail will be particularly suitable for routes where catenary electrification (overhead wiring system used by electric trains) is either unfeasible or prone to damage and disruption.
— Hydrogen trains can be refuelled in around 20 to 25 minutes, surpassing the recharge time required by battery-electric trains.
In the Indian context, particularly with the target of net-zero emissions by 2070, hydrogen rails offer a decarbonisation path to Indian Railways, which has been a major consumer of fossil fuel. In 2023-24, it reduced fuel consumption for traction purposes by 136 crore liters as compared to 2018-19.
While the initial investments are high, hydrail deployment can prove cost-effective, particularly on non-electrified routes, by avoiding the massive expenditure required for overhead electrification infrastructure. Further, it reduces dependence on imported diesel, thereby contributing to India’s energy security and balance of payments.
Despite these advantages, hydrogen trains come with its set of unique challenges, such as:
— Hydrail has a substantially high initial cost of production compared to both electric and diesel trains.
— It requires the development of an extensive system for hydrogen production, storage and distribution – an infrastructure that is largely absent in India today.
— The massive refueling stations and machinery needed to support the substantial fleet of hydrogen trains present another logistical and financial challenge.
These factors suggest that direct electric trains remain more suitable for India’s electrified, mainstream routes, especially if the electricity supplied through the overhead wires is from clean sources. Moreover, the highly flammable nature of hydrogen requires adherence to strict safety standards from production to storage and refuelling, necessitating further investment in safety infrastructure and training for railway personnel.
In addition, the use of hydrogen fuel cells involves converting electricity to hydrogen (through the process of electrolysis where electricity from sources like solar or wind is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen that produces green hydrogen) and then back to electricity, making the overall efficiency of hydrogen trains lower than that of electric trains powered by overhead lines.
Currently, nearly all hydrogen produced in India is derived from fossil fuels (grey hydrogen), while large-scale green hydrogen production (generated from renewable sources) is in its early stages. This presents a significant obstacle to achieving true decarbonisation of transport through hydrail.
Nevertheless, hydrogen trains represent a significant step in India’s journey towards becoming a sustainable and decarbonised nation. These trains offer a green alternative, particularly on routes in remote and hilly regions. The introduction of hydrogen trains is part of India’s quest to build a strong indigenous hydrogen ecosystem, and is directly aligned with the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) and the Hydrogen for Heritage initiative.
This would require a well-structured strategy that leverages India’s growing Renewable Energy (RE) capacity to scale up green hydrogen production to bring down costs.
Further, an effective, efficient and decentralised system of hydrogen infrastructure, with emphasis on storage and refuelling – similar to the Hydrogen Highways project under the NGHM – would help. For these goals to materialise, large-scale investment in research and development will be crucial to advance fuel cell technology, improve efficiency, and enhance safety standards.
The realisation of India’s hydrogen goals, both the establishment of a robust hydrogen ecosystem that positions the country as a global leader in production and the deployment of a fleet of trains offering clean, long-distance mobility, will require policy interventions with a long-term vision that keeps abreast of the technological advancements in this evolving field.
To sum up, becoming a global leader in green hydrogen innovation would significantly boost India’s energy security and economic prosperity. Notably, the efficient and strategic deployment of hydrail, complemented by a strong domestic hydrogen manufacturing ecosystem, has the potential to be a cornerstone of India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision for a cleaner, greener, and more resilient future.
Hydrogen-powered trains have emerged as a promising technological innovation in the global quest for decarbonisation, and have the potential to contribute to India’s 2070 net-zero target. Evaluate.
How does the efficiency of hydrogen fuel cell trains compare with that of electric trains in terms of energy conversion and lifecycle emissions?
What is a regenerative braking system? How does it help improve the performance and sustainability of hydrogen rail systems?
How does the use of green hydrogen versus grey hydrogen affect the overall decarbonisation potential of hydrogen trains?
The introduction of hydrogen trains is part of India’s quest to build a strong indigenous hydrogen ecosystem, and is directly aligned with the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) and the Hydrogen for Heritage initiative. Discuss.
(Kannan K is a Doctoral candidate at the Centre for Economic and Social Studies, Hyderabad)
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