India launched its first hydrogen-powered passenger train on the Jind-Sonipat route, but the environmental benefit depends entirely on how the hydrogen is produced. The article explains that hydrogen trains use fuel cells to generate electricity onboard, emitting only water vapor. However, if the electricity used to produce the hydrogen comes from coal or other fossil fuels, the carbon footprint remains high. The real value of hydrogen trains may be on remote, non-electrified routes where overhead power lines are impractical. For the already electrified broad-gauge network, replacing electric trains with hydrogen trains serves little purpose. The article also warns that building new rail lines through hilly forests causes ecological damage that hydrogen technology cannot offset, citing a study valuing Indian forest services at $2.5 trillion annually.
