New Delhi: Marking a notable advancement in eco-friendly transport solutions, the Indian Navy has partnered with Indian Oil to test and potentially expand the use of green hydrogen fuel cell buses. This collaboration was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed at the Nau Sena Bhawan in New Delhi, in the presence of Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of Naval Staff, and S M Vaidya, Chairman of IndianOil.
The MoU exchange, facilitated by Vice Admiral Deepak Kapoor, Controller of Logistics, Indian Navy, and Dr. Kannan Chandrasekaran, Executive Director of IndianOil, underscores a strategic shift towards integrating advanced energy solutions in military transport. Admiral Tripathi expressed confidence in this initiative, stating, “The partnership between IndianOil and the Indian Navy is built on an unbreakable bond of trust. We will be testing one of the hydrogen buses and looking forward to deploying environment-friendly transportation in larger numbers.”
Highlighting the broader impact of this initiative, Vaidya said, “As we continue to support our defence forces with innovative, forward-looking solutions that cater to tomorrow’s needs. IndianOil has been leading the way in advancing green hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.”
Currently, IndianOil operates 15 fuel cell buses that have collectively covered a total of 300,000 kilometers in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat. Each bus in this fleet is expected to run at least 20,000 kilometers. This program not only demonstrates the operational viability of hydrogen fuel technology in public and strategic transport but also aligns with the government’s push towards sustainable mobility solutions.
This initiative is part of a broader assessment to determine the performance of fuel cell electric buses under the challenging conditions of the Delhi NCR region. The project focuses on analyzing the impact of local fuel and air quality on the performance of fuel cell systems and determining the vehicles’ effectiveness, longevity, and operational reliability for potential use in public fleets.
