Indian railways set to launch India’s first Hydrogen Fuel Cell Train, the train was developed with domestic technology and with the assistance of the hydrogen ecosystem located in Jind, Haryana, the train that produces electricity on board with the help of hydrogen fuel cells with the only by-product being water vapour. The train can take around 2,600 passengers; all advanced multi-layer safety systems, along with nearly zero emissions, are installed on board the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Train, which can be regarded asthe India’s movement towards clean energy provision and technological advancement in order to make the railway system greener.

About First Hydrogen Fuel Cell Train in India

India’s Hydrogen Fuel Cell Train is a next-gen railway vehicle that generates electricity onboard using the hydrogen fuel cells instead of conventional diesel engines or above-ground electric systems.

In comparison with the normal trains, hydrogen stored in the tanks onboard the train reacts with oxygen to produce electricity through PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) Fuel Cells.

This is used to operate the engines of the train, and the only output is steam, which makes it one of the cleanest technologies for the railways.

This project symbolizes a giant step towards the sustainable and low carbon transport in India.

What Makes This Train an Importanbt Symbol for Indian Railways?

Indian Railways has made significant strides in to electrifying over 99% of its broad gauge network, which has substantially cut down the use of diesel.

The Hydrogen Fuel Cell Train enhances this transition even further by,

• Stopping carbon emissions during its operation.
• Generating electricity while on the board.
• Aiding India in transition to clean energy.
• Proving the capability the technology sector of the country possesses.
• Contributing to the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
• Creating a new possibility in supporting with the Net Zero goals of the country.

It marks a new era in the history of the railway propulsion system from steam to diesel, and now to electric and hydrogen propulsion system.

How Does a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Train Function?

Instead of just utilizing fossil fuel combustion like diesel trains do, the train has a miniature power plant that is made up of the Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells.

The procedure is as follows the,

• Hydrogen from the storage tanks on the train enters the fuel cell.
• Oxygen is sourced from the air.
• Electrochemical reaction takes place.
• Electricity is generated.
• Electricity is sent to the traction motors.
• Only steam and heat are emitted as by-products.

Unlike the diesel engines, there is no fire, no emissions and no waste products.

To summarize,

• Hydrogen + Oxygen → Electricity + Steam + Heat

Technical Specifications of India’s Hydrogen Train

The Commissioning of the new Hydrogen Train has been accomplished for the mass passenger transport from one place to other.

Key Features

• Train Structure: 10 cars
• Passenger Capacity: Approximately 2,600 passengers
• Power Cars: 2 Hydrogen Power Cars
• Trailer Cars: 8
• Power Production: 1,200 kW (1,600 hp) per Power Car
• Total Power: 2,400 kW
• Operating Speed: 75 km/h
• Maximum Design Speed: 110 km/h

This technology positions the hydrogen train to be bigger than other hydrogen passenger trains currently operating throughout the globe which generally consist of only two to four cars.

Route and Operations

Initially, this train will be running in the segment from Jind to Sonipat under the Northern Railway.

Major Stations in the Route

• Jind Junction
• Jind City
• Pandu Pindara Junction
• Gohana Junction
• Bhambhewa
• Butana
• Mohana
• Sonipat
• Sonipat New

The 89 kilometers section has been identified for the assessment of the performance, safety, and efficiency of the hydraulic passenger trains under normal railway conditions.

India’s First Hydrogen Refuelling Facility in Jind

A major highlight of the project is the establishment of the largest hydrogen refuelling centre for trains in India at Jind in Haryana.

The integrated centre comprises of the,

Hydrogen Production

Hydrogen is obtained through electrolysis, the process of splitting the water into the hydrogen and oxygen with the help of electricity.

Hydrogen Storage.

The created hydrogen is stored in specially designed containers.

Compression.

Hydrogen is compressed by applying a pressure of around 500 b.

Refuelling

The hydrogen used to refuel the train comes from two dispensers operating at 350 bar at the same time so that both motor cars are refuelled.

Storage Capacity

The capacity of the centre is approximately of 3000 kg which is enough to cater to the regular needs for train operations.

Safety Approaches with the Advanced Multi-Level Systems

Hydrogen being highly combustible necessitates ensuring safety.

Indian Railways has put in the multiple independent safety mechanisms for the safety of people and its operations.

Main Safety Components

• Regular hydrogen leak detection.
• Flame detection devices.
• Smoke detecting devices.
• Heating monitoring devices.
• Hydrogen shutting off devices.
• Continuous ventilation aimed at avoiding gas accumulation.
• Fire prevention devices.
• Water spraying systems.
• Out of ordinary mode of operation.
• Real-time monitoring systems within the cabin of a train.

Altogether these sets of protective mechanisms follow the internationally recognized rule of defence in depth that provides for a comprehensive safety solution rather than relying on only one element.

Global Safety Regulations

The hydrogen ecosystem is also designed according to the world-wide accepted standards such as the,

• NFPA-2
• ISO 19880 Series

The system also meets the legal requirements provided by PESO.

The project has undergone the procedure of independent assessment of safety by a third party organization TÜV SÜD, Germany, which is widely recognized testing and certification authority worldwide before it is brought to actual work.

The Union Cabinet under the leadership of Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi given its approval to the Semicon 2.0, a policy to enhance the India’s semiconductor design and making ecosystem. Semicon 2.0 has been approved in a meeting presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and a budget of ₹1,27,500 crore has been allotted for the project. The primary objective of the project is to improve chip designing functions and capabilities, lure advanced semiconductors manufacturing companies, focus on the research and innovation efforts, support development of skilled workforce, and contribute to building a reliable semiconductor supply chain making India technologically and economically self-reliant.

What is Semicon 2.0?

Semicon 2.o is a new semiconductor development program introduced by the Indian government to provide continuous policy support to the semiconductor industry in India.

The program is based on the earliest version Semicon 1.0 and aims to create a full semiconductor ecosystem which covers all stages from design and manufacturing of the chip, to its packaging, development of materials, research, and workforce.

India is recognized as a strategically important sector by the government, and efforts have been taken to make it a trusted global hub for the manufacturing and innovation in semiconductors.

The Purpose Behind the Launch of Semicon 2.0

Semiconductors are crucial for the nearly all advanced devices, such as mobile phones, electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, telecommunications, medical apparatus, defense apparatus, and automated processes.

India has made the significant advances in the field of semiconductor design and packaging, and it now aims to build a more robust domestic semiconductor industry by improving the local production capabilities and lessening dependence on foreign smelters.

The objectives of the Semicon 2.0 program include,

• Upbuilding the entire ecosystem of the semiconductors,
• Improving the design skills of Indian companies,
• Promoting semiconductor manufacturing,
• Working towards the local production of the semiconductors,
• Ensuring better resilience of the supply chain,
• Working towards technological independence,
• Positioning the country as a semiconductor superpower.

Reflecting on the accomplishments made in establishing the chip design industry in India, Semicon 2.0 intends to build up on the existing capabilities of local talents in design of chips.

The Six Strategic Pillars of Semicon 2.0

1. Strengthening Semiconductor Design
2. Developing Machines, Materials and Chemicals
3. Setting Up More Semiconductor Fabs
4. Strengthening the ATMP/OSAT Industry
5. Accelerating Research and Development
6. Talent Development

Key Benefits of Semicon 2.0

The government expects that the Semicon 2.0 to deliver multiple long-term benefits.

• Strengthening the India’s Semiconductor Ecosystem
• Boosting Economic Growth
• Enhancing National Security
• Promoting Technological Leadership

Progress Under Semicon 1.0

The foundation for the new initiative has been laid with the government’s first semiconductor venture.

Achievements in Manufacturing,

Under Semicon 1.0,

• 12 manufacturing initiatives have been sanctioned.
• The projected expenditures go up to ₹1.64 lakh crore.

Two prominent fabrication plants are anticipated for,

• A silicon wafer manufacturing unit.
• A silicon carbide wafer plant.
• With respect to the micro LED display, an advanced integrated facility is included.
• In addition, there are expected to be nine semiconductor assembly units too.

The semiconductor manufacturing processes supported by these set-ups will cover areas like auto-motive, consumer electronics, telecommunications, industrial electronics, aerospace, and power electronics.

After the approval of the National Investment Policy for Urea-2026 for self-reliant India (NIPU-2026) by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs led by Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This new scheme aims to promote the investment in gas-based urea manufacturing, reduce import dependency, enhance transparency in project economics, and boost India’s fertilizer production self-sufficiency. By substituting the prior investment policy for NIPU-2026, the government aims to modernize the urea industry in line with its ambitious self-reliant India plan.

What Is the National Investment Policy for Urea-2026 (NIPU-2026)?

The National Investment Policy for Urea-2026 (NIPU-2026) is the latest investment policy brought by the Department of Fertilizers with the aim to promote the establishment of new gas-based urea manufacturing plants in different parts of the country.

The policy intends to draw investment from both private and public sectors by providing a transparent and viable means for establishing modern urea production facilities, replacing the earlier New Investment Policy (NIP)-2012, which expired in the October of 2019.

The main aim of this policy is to increase the domestic urea production along with gradually reducing India’s dependence on imported fertilizers.

What Was the Rationale Behind the Implementation of NIPU-2026?

Urea, it is a type of fertilizer that plays a key role in the agricultural productivity, it is widely consumed throughout India.

Despite an increase in the domestic supply over the years, demand remains as higher than supply, which leads to the import of huge quantities.

The government has thus brought forth the initiative of NIPU-2026 in order to do the following,

• Increase the level of the domestic urea production
• Attract investments towards new production facilities
• Diminish dependency on the imports
• Enhance transparency in the returns received from the investment
• Boost up the level of fertilizers’ dependence in India
• As well as comply with the objectives regarding the Atmanirbhar Bharat project

The Department of Fertilizers has been approached by the different organizations with suggestions relating to the establishment of new plants producing urea, which illustrates the necessity of the development of new investment policies.

Key Features of the NIPU-2026

The NIPU-2026 policy has several features which are different from the earlier investment model.

The first two features of the policy are the following,

Formation of the New Gas-Based Urea Production Units

The emphasis of the policy is on the formation of new gas-based urea production units that utilize energy-efficient and environmentally friendly technologies.

The separation of fixed and variable costs.

The most important change introduced by NIPU can be described as the separation of fixed and variable costs. This change allows for the following:

• Assuring transparency of project economics;
• Ensuring fairness in cost estimation;
• Improving investment financial planning;

RoE as a mechanism

NIPU-2026 introduces a structured RoE mechanism.

According to the received band of RoE,

• Minimum (Floor): 12%;
• Maximum (Ceiling): 16%;

which offers more assurance to investors and guarantees efficient allocation of funds.

Reduction of currency exposure risk

To reduce the risks which are connected with currency fluctuations, NIPU-2026 envisages the conversion of fixed costs into Indian Rupees after four years taking into consideration exchange rates in force at that time.

Advantages of New Policy

The government anticipates that NIPU-2026 will provide several economic and strategic advantages.

Increased Native Production

The launch of new production units is likely to enhance the production capabilities of urea across the country resulting in fulfilling the needs of agriculture for urea.

Lowered the Import Dependency

The increase in local production of urea will reduce reliance on imported urea, hence improving the nation’s fertilizer security.

Savings

The government claims that the revised policy is predicted to save over ₹250 crores per new plant established within the framework of NIPU-2026 as compared to those plants that were built based on NIP-2012.

Enhanced Confidence of Investors

The costs being transparent as well as having guaranteed Return on Equity and protection from exchange rate fluctuations are likely to make the investment within fertilizer sector attractive.

Support for Atmanirbhar Bharat

The domestic production promotion measures aimed at to minimizing the number of imports and facilitating self-reliance make a direct contribution towards attaining the goal of the government to make the country self-sufficient.

Background: From NIP-2012 to NIPU-2026

All new plants that will be generated after the formal adoption of the policy will be included under the NIPU-2026 plan.

The New Investment Policy (NIP)-2012 has been implemented for drawing investment in the urea sector through,

• Greenfield projects
• Brownfield expansion
• Restoration of closed plants
• Enhancing the capacity of the existing units

The NIP-2012 has led to,

• Setting up the new six urea manufacturing units
• Creation of four new units through joint ventures of public sector
• Establishment of two units by the private players

The investment window under NIP-2012 came to a close in October, 2019 and there was a need for a new policy in order to meet future requirements.

The Ministry of Heavy Industries has called for global bids to set up the Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) battery manufacturing units under the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme of the Indian government. This is the final stage of the ₹18,100-crore PLI project that seeks to establish a strong domestic battery manufacturing ecosystem and minimize import dependence on batteries. The batteries produced will be essential for energy storage at the grid level, which helps store electricity generated from renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power.

What has the Government Revealed?

The opening of the bidding for setting up 10 GWh of ACC battery manufacturing capacity in India has been announced by the Ministry of Heavy Industries.

Important Points

• Both global players and domestic producers are eligible for bidding.
• The total ACC battery manufacturing capacity available is 10 GWh.
• This step falls within the framework of the Production Linked Incentive scheme for ACC batteries.
• The government wants to make environment-friendly energy and battery production more efficient through this scheme.

Thus, this announcement marks the completion of the allocation process under the battery manufacturing project.

What is the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for ACC batteries?

In 2021, the Union Cabinet approved the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for ACC batteries.

• Scheme Name: Production Linked Incentive for ACC Batteries
• Year of Launch: 2021
• Financial Allocation Amount: ₹18100 crore
• Total Intended Capacity: 50 GWh
• Allocated Capacity: 40 GWh
• Currently Bidding Capacity: 10 GWh

The purpose of this scheme is to encourage companies to start working on battery manufacturing facilities in India.

What are ACC (Advanced Chemistry Cell) Batteries?

ACC batteries are newly invented rechargeable batteries that provide a number of advantages such as better efficiency, longer lifespan, and greater energy storage capabilities.

ACC batteries are commonly used in,

• Electric Vehicles
• Renewable energy storage systems
• Power generation sites
• Consumer electronics
• Industrial energy storage

ACC batteries differ from regular batteries in several important ways,

• Higher energy storage capacity
• Shorter charging times
• Longer battery life
• Safer and more efficient batteries

The Significance of ACC Batteries

Facilitates Renewable Energy Usage

Solar and wind energy are intermittent power sources. ACC batteries store surplus electricity produced during peak production hours for later use.

Enhances Grid Stability

Grid batteries help stabilize power supply by allowing for balance between production and consumption of electricity.

Encourages Clean Energy

The use of batteries allows for more renewable energy use in India’s electricity grid and enables the country’s transition to clean energy.

Facilitates E-Mobility

Battery manufacturing is important in bringing down the prices of electric vehicles and making EVs more acceptable.