INDIA'S 1ST GREEN HYDROGEN FUEL CELL BUS

• On 25 September, 2023 INDIAN OIL CORPORATION (IOC) unveils India’s 1^st Green Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus.
• This bus flagged off by Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas from Kartavya Path, New Delhi.

Hydrogen Fuel cell

• It is an electrochemical energy conversion device that generates electricity, heat, and water by using hydrogen and air.

• Fuel cell technology, powered by hydrogen, is a significant component of the e-mobility landscape.

Working Mechanism

• Fuel cells consist of two electrodes, an anode and a cathode, where the reactions take place.

• An electrolyte and a catalyst in fuel cell facilitate reactions.

• Hydrogen enters a cell and splits into charged protons and electrons at the anode,
• Negatively charged electrons are forced through a circuit, generating electricity, and propelling vehicles using motors.
• Positively charged protons pass through a membrane to cathode, combining

with oxygen to form water.

Benefits

• The fuel cell uses hydrogen and air to generate electricity to run the bus and the only by-product of the bus is water, so it is probably the most eco-friendly mode of transport compared to conventional buses that run on diesel and petrol.

Cost	Lower operational costs due to higher efficiency and high energy density of hydrogen
No weather effect	Shorter refueling time, and vehicle mileage not influenced by weather conditions.
Sustainable Development Goals	Meet climate change goals (SDG-13-Climate Action) through the decarbonization of transportation. Overcome issues of smog and health problems caused by air pollution. (SDG-3-Good health and well-being)

 

Challenges

• Lack of infrastructure for production, transportation, and storage of hydrogen gas, High cost, Technological challenges like system size, management of air, heat and water, etc.

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