The government of India introduced the National Green Hydrogen Mission in January 2023 with a total outlay of ₹19,744 crores with an objective of achieving 5MMT of annual production capacity. It aims to achieve 100% self-sufficiency in energy production by 2047 and become a net-zero carbon-emitting country by 2070.

Rising Demand for Heavy-Weight Trucks

As per a report from the Global Carbon Project, the transportation industry accounted for over 10% of India’s overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2020.

During 2005-2020, freight movement in India surged to nearly 2,250 billion tonne kilometers, thereby increasing the demand for heavy-weight trucks. In 2020, trucks accounted for nearly 65% of the total freight movement across India.

Based on industry reports, the demand for freight transportation services is further expected to increase to 10,000 billion tonne km in 2050, thereby recording a five-fold growth from 2,000 billion tonne km in 2020. The switch towards hydrogen is expected to increase the fuel efficiency standards of Indian trucks and reduce Scope 3 emissions for logistics companies.

Growing Government Support 

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy of India has approved 5 pilot projects for driving sustainable growth in India’s transportation industry. By sanctioning approval for the construction and operation of 9 hydrogen refuelling stations and trial run of 37 hydrogen vehicles (including trucks and buses), it has bolstered its commitment towards sustainable economic development.

The government is expected to provide ₹208 crore to companies like TATA Motors Ltd, NTPC, Reliance Industries Limited, Ashok Leyland, and BPCL as financial support. The trucks and buses are expected to run across 10 different routes in India, covering regions like Greater Noida – Delhi – Agra and Bhubaneshwar – Konark – Puri, among others.

Conclusion

With this pilot project, the government is focusing on developing commercially viable technologies that support the integration of clean energy sources, such as hydrogen, into India’s transportation sector. This initiative is expected to drive the phased deployment of green hydrogen as a major fuel source for trucks and buses, thereby creating a safe future for India’s energy sector.

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