State to pioneer hydrogen-run buses next year
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Two pilot companies on capital-Kochi route, one other 50 buses to be launched earlier than October
Kerala is ready to change into the primary State to function hydrogen-powered buses, with two buses set to ply on the Ernakulam-Thiruvananthapuram sector by mid-2021 on a pilot foundation. Another 50 buses shall be launched earlier than October 2021.
The zero-polluting buses are awaiting approval from the Automotive Research Association of India. Each bus should function no less than 500 km each day to cowl the excessive funding. Uninterrupted availability of hydrogen as gas supply may be addressed since BPCL-Kochi Refineries Ltd. is already able to provide it. Only that hydrogen meant for industrial use have to be purified additional, sources within the Transport Department stated.
“A fleet of 50 hydrogen buses is apt for Kochi. They can operate regular services or feeder trips,” stated Jafar Malik, CEO of Cochin Smart Mission Ltd.
Tenders quickly
Apart from BPCL, Agency for Non-Conventional Energy and Rural Technology (Anert) too has been tasked with producing hydrogen. They would shortly invite tenders for the aim. Already a producer has volunteered to present a pair of SUVs for trial runs utilizing the gas. The Transport Department had made it clear that CNG, LNG, electrical energy, and hydrogen-run autos can be the popular in Kerala within the coming years to scale down use of fossil fuels which trigger air and sound air pollution.
1 kg for two {dollars}
“It also has to be seen whether CIAL (Cochin International Airport Limited), which produces solar power in excess of its needs, can be relied on to manufacture hydrogen from water. As per estimate a kilogram of hydrogen can be manufactured for two dollars. Its cost would come down just like that of solar power, since the cost of electrolyser needed for the purpose is decreasing. Moreover, hydrogen can be sourced from LNG, sewage treatment plants, or even plastic waste, which would further lower its manufacturing cost. A bus would need five kg of the fuel daily, which works to less than ₹2,000 per day as fuel expense,” sources stated.
‘Fuel of the future’
At ₹2.50 crore to ₹3 crore per bus, hydrogen-run buses are costlier than electrical buses. Their value would come down with technological developments. Hydrogen cells are additionally most popular over energy saved in batteries, whose weight has to be borne by autos. Batteries take appreciable area too.
Moreover, hydrogen may be sourced from stores a lot sooner than the time wanted to recharge e-vehicles. Countries with ample daylight are in an advantageous place to export the gas to the developed world. Kerala, blessed with daylight, is ideally positioned to export the gas, they added.
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