In northeast India, Nuvera Fuel Cells, LLC has donated their E-60 hydrogen fuel cell engine to power a nine-meter electric bus (eBus). The tourist bus is part of a regional effort to develop a variety of hydrogen-powered mobility options.
Oil India Limited (OIL) has entered into a contract with Ohm Cleantech Private Ltd., a subsidiary of h2e Power Systems Private Ltd., to design, integrate, and construct a nine-meter hydrogen fuel cell-powered e-Bus with the assistance of the Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati.
According to Sushil Chand Mishra, the chief managing director of OIL, the hydrocarbon explorer and producer is committed to providing innovative and creative renewable energy technology solutions. OIL has already begun creating hydrogen and mixing natural gas. The company thinks that the operation of the fuel cell e-Bus and other hydrogen initiatives will expedite India’s attempts to establish a sustainable hydrogen economy.
“India has begun to embrace the power of hydrogen as a clean energy solution. We look forward to seeing this initiative take shape and to being part of India’s journey to a hydrogen economy,” said Kedar Murthy, chief commercial officer at Nuvera. “Nuvera’s products are the right choice for hydrogen transportation and mobility solutions in India. We have high efficiency fuel cell engines available to ship today and offer robust integration support to help OIL reach their ambitions to provide viable zero-emissions alternatives.”
Nuvera has supplied fuel cell engines for fuel cell buses in the past, most notably a 10,5 m bus in China that has been approved for road use by the Shanghai Motor Vehicle Inspection Center. Hydrogen fuel cells turn hydrogen into energy without producing any byproducts other than water. Hybridized with batteries, the OIL e-Bus will be capable of rapid refueling and will conserve fuel by recovering kinetic energy during deceleration.
As cities throughout the world implement clean transportation laws to improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase energy efficiency, hydrogen fuel cells offer a feasible alternative to heavy-duty diesel-powered internal combustion engines.
