Intracity Hydrogen Buses To Start Operation In Leh On Trial Basis

National Thermal Power Corporation or NTPC is setting up Hydrogen fueling station, solar plant and providing five fuel cell buses for operating Intracity Hydrogen Buses in Leh. As part of the plan, the first hydrogen bus reached in Leh on August 17. This will be India”s first ever hydrogen bus deployment on Indian public roads and part of government”s objective of towards achieving carbon-neutral Ladakh.

The buses are being deployed as part of a three-month-long process of field trials, roadworthiness tests and other statutory procedures.

“The first-of-its-kind Green Hydrogen Mobility Project at 11,562 ft is co-located with dedicated Solar plant of 1.7 MW for providing renewable power. A unique feature of this project is that the fuel cell buses are designed for operation in sub-zero temperatures in rarefied atmosphere, which is typical for high altitude locations,” a statement from the power ministry said.

“NTPC is committed to achieve 60 GW of Renewable Energy capacity by 2032 and be a major player in Green Hydrogen Technology and Energy Storage domain. The company is taking up several initiatives towards decarbonization such as Hydrogen blending, Carbon Capture, EV buses and Smart NTPC Townships,” the statement added.