With the world moving towards a green economy, one nation is at the forefront of creating future-generation automobiles. Having established themselves as world leaders in the automotive industry, China, Germany, and the United States are joining India to embrace this new technology of hydrogen-powered vehicles.
How does India use hydrogen technology to build cars that will change the face of environmentally friendly transport?
Kerala’s pioneering role in advancing hydrogen-powered mobility solutions
Kerala, one of the states in southwestern India, is one of the pioneers of hydrogen use in transportation. Famous for its greenery and policy-friendly environment, Kerala advocates hydrogen cars. The emissions in the state in 2021 were about 17.2 million tons of CO₂ equivalent, with transportation contributing about 47% of total emissions.
The state has already ranked high in EV adoption, with 5.2% of passenger vehicles and 13.5% of electric two-wheeler vehicles. Kerala is not stopping at green buses but is looking at hydrogen buses, trucks, and even boats.
Initiated by the Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology (ANERT), the Kerala Green Hydrogen Valley project is planned to create the complete hydrogen value chain, a continuation of sustainable transport energy invention after they released this engine to the transport sector.
This shall place Kerala as a benchmark for all other states and showcase how hydrogen can reduce emissions across industries. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is leading the way for hydrogen buses, which are environmentally friendly in transportation.
Kerala also initiates hydrogen fuel in its heavy-duty freight segment to replace diesel-laden trucks. These vehicles, capable of traveling long distances and carrying capacity, are part of the state’s green mobility plan. The Kochi Water Metro project also includes hydrogen boats as part of an integrated transport system to address the state of Kerala’s water transport needs with emission-free options.
Scaling hydrogen-powered transport in India
Buses, trains, heavy trucks, and boats run on hydrogen are the future, and they are the foundation of the clean energy system in India. This adoption could, in turn, create many employment opportunities, innovation, and investment in renewable energy infrastructure.
It also provides a significant answer to the air pollution problem in the growing urban centers, which has been a monumental issue in India. Still, there is potential to achieve these goals, yet several critical obstacles exist. Hydrogen refueling infrastructures are needed for the general acceptance of hydrogen-powered vehicles.
The problem of establishing such stations is expensive, with approximately $2 million per station being required. This is way above the cost of installing charging stations for electric cars. Furthermore, green hydrogen costs are still relatively high, especially for electrolyzer technology requiring a scale effect.
Another difficulty is technological maturity, which can be very high in most analyzed firms. On the practical side, heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell systems need further enhancement in terms of durability and efficiency for reliable and mass implementation.
This is because challenges such as these require collaboration at the level of an industrial cluster. The Kerala Green Hydrogen Valley is most suited for scaling hydrogen production, fast-track deployment of required infrastructure, and innovation.
Building a sustainable future with hydrogen-powered innovations in Kerala
Hydrogen technologies and infrastructure investments have been generated globally as the hydrogen economy grows fast. Kerala’s initiatives are already placing the state on the map of this global campaign towards forming a cleaner and greener transport system.
Kerala is currently working with international organizations such as the World Economic Forum to further its hydrogen goals and promote hydrogen development worldwide to create sustainable mobility systems.
The ongoing innovation of hydrogen mobility in Kerala can help other states build the structure and ramp up their green transport plan. Improving policy settings and selective collaboration with private actors are needed for India to realize its hydrogen goals.
Kerala’s experience in hydrogen mobility will probably be employed at the national level. It will help advance a new transport energy system that includes cars and public transportation, which beats nearly all the other energy types. Categorized under green mobility, India has started the hydrogen revolution, with Kerala leading the way in the country.
Tackling some essential issues and using novel approaches, India is determining its place in the global hydrogen economy. While the world seeks a change to conventional energy sources such as fossil fuels, the case of India in Hydrogen technology is a promising approach to show that the future of transportation is in hydrogen.
