Bhubaneswar: Hydrogen powered buses will start operating in Odisha, soon. The state government has signed an agreement in this regard on Monday.
Officials of the NTPC Limited said that a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard was signed on Monday between NTPC Limited, GRIDCO Limited and Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) for the implementation of Green Energy Technologies in Odisha.
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It is part of a collaborative effort not only to implement innovative green energy technologies in the state with a primary focus on revolutionizing the public transport system, but also to reduce the carbon footprints.
As per the agreement, the NTPC Ltd will focus on hydrogen production, GRIDCO will ensure renewable energy supply, and CRUT will manage the operations of the hydrogen-powered buses.
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To begin with, NTPC Ltd would deploy three hydrogen fuel cell buses in the capital city. These buses are designed to replace traditional diesel buses, providing a sustainable alternative to public transport.
The fuel cell green buses will have a seating capacity of 42 passengers and will run on a 150 kW drive motor having an 80 kW fuel cell capacity. Each bus has a fuel capacity of 58 kg, offering a mileage of 12 km per kg having a range of 600 km.
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NTPC will set up a hydrogen production plant at the Gadakana depot of CRUT using the existing sewage treatment plant (STP) and effluent treatment plant (ETP) for green hydrogen generation. This will support the clean energy requirements of the hydrogen buses.
The state energy department has urged the GA & PG department to lease 2 acres of land to NTPC Renewable Energy for establishment of the hydrogen production unit. GRIDCO will provide connectivity for 2 MW to the nearest substation, including the fixed cost and security deposit and facilitate the supply of potable water (12 CUM/ day).