Green Fuel! Indian Railways is ready!!
The Union Ministry of indian Railways has announced on saturday that it has invited tenders for hydrogen fuel cell-based technology which will be used to decide whether diesel-run trains can be achieved by using hydrogen instead. The innovative technology will be examined on the diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) on the Sonipat-Jind division of the Northern Railway, the ministry noted in its report.
The transformation into hydrogen fuel-powered train assemblage will not only spare the cost to the tune of ₹2.3 crores per annum by switching from diesel to hydrogen but will also preserve carbon trail worth 11.12 kilotonnes per year and particulate material worth 0.72 kilotonnes per year, the report read. It further said that once this pilot scheme is executed, fortunately, hydrogen fuel can be utilised to run all the rolling stock which is programmed to run on diesel fuel after electrification.
The project will originally see two DEMU rakes being transformed based on hydrogen fuel cell energy moment. Later, two-hybrid narrow gauge locos will be transformed as well. Once the exchange is done, the train will be powered by hydrogen fuel. The bidding tender for hydrogen fuel cell-based DEMU will commence on september 21 and ends on october 5. A pre-bid press discussion will take place on august 17, the statement notified.
Hydrogen fuel, it said, is the greenest mode of transportation as hydrogen can be generated by electrolysing water from solar energy. According to the Railways Union ministry, very few nations are currently using this technique. One project is currently undergoing experiments in germany while executives in Poland, too, are independently testing this technology on a rake, the ministry stated.