KOCHI: In a major step towards promoting sustainable transportation solutions, the first hydrogen-fuelled bus will soon be rolled out in the state, thanks to the collaborative initiative of the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL), the world’s first fully solar powered airport.
A prototype of the bus, which uses green hydrogen—the ‘future fuel’—was displayed at the Global Hydrogen & Renewable Energy Summit held in Kochi on March 12 and 13. The state’s first green hydrogen plant and fuelling station is already under construction near the airport in Nedumbassery.
“CIAL plans to deploy the bus as soon as the plant is commissioned. Currently, 70% of the work is over. A few more pieces of equipment need to be installed. We expect the facility to be ready in a month or two,” a BPCL official told TNIE.
The bus, which uses hydrogen fuel cells developed by Pune-based firm KPIT Ltd, will be either deployed within the airport or used for providing short-distance airport connectivity. Authorities will soon initiate the registration process. The green hydrogen plant is being set up at an estimated Rs 25 crore.
Its initial output will be used to power vehicles within the airport, starting with the hydrogen bus. Under the agreement, BPCL will oversee the establishment of the integrated plant and fuelling stations, providing technology and managing the operation.
This collaborative effort will result in the world’s first green hydrogen plant and fuelling station located close to an airport setting. Green hydrogen, produced from water using renewable energy sources, is recognised as a future fuel and aligns with zero-carbon energy strategies.
Plan to set up jet fuel manufacturing unit on airport premises
CIAL, renowned for its effective deployment of green energy through big solar plants and a hydel station, now has a cumulative installed capacity of 50 MW. Ever since the installation of the first solar plant, with a capacity of 12 MW, the airport has been augmenting its capabilities and now inked an MoU for a strategic collaboration with BPCL for setting up a 1,000 KW pilot project on the airport premises.
There are also plans to set up a jet fuel-manufacturing unit within the CIAL premises, also in partnership with BPCL.
The BPCL official said CIAL has submitted the proposal for building a synthetic aviation fuel unit. Synthetic fuels, or e-fuels, can significantly contribute to decarbonising the aviation sector. The government aims to announce ‘net zero-carbon Kerala’ by 2050, and various campaigns towards the goal have been initiated in various sectors, including agriculture and road transportation.
Central pilot projects
As part of its National Green Hydrogen Mission, the Union government has initiated five pilot projects on hydrogen-fuelled buses, trucks and refuelling stations. A total of 15 hydrogen fuel cell-based vehicles and 22 hydrogen internal combustion engine-based vehicles will be run on 10 routes across the country for trial. Two routes in Kerala have been selected for the trial – Thiruvananthapuram-Kochi and Kochi-Edappally. The projects are likely to be commissioned in the next 18 to 24 months, paving the way for the scaling up of such technologies in the country.
