India launches first hydrogen-powered train in clean energy push with 12 million dollar pilot project on 89 km route in Haryana

India has launched its first hydrogen-powered train, named Namo Green Rail, on an 89 kilometer route between Jind and Sonipat in Haryana. The 10 coach train uses a 1200 kilowatt hydrogen fuel cell system that generates electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen, emitting only water and steam. The pilot project cost around 12 million dollars, which officials acknowledge is more expensive than conventional trains but expect costs to fall as the technology matures. Along with the train, India inaugurated a hydrogen storage and refueling facility in Jind with a capacity of about 3000 kilograms. The train was developed largely in India, though key components like fuel cells were imported. India joins Germany, Japan, China, and the United States in testing hydrogen powered trains as part of broader efforts to decarbonize one of the world's largest rail networks, which carried over 7 billion passengers and 1.6 billion tonnes of freight last year.