Why in the News?

The successful trial of India’s first hydrogen-powered coach at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, in July 2025 marks a critical milestone in the Indian Railways’ decarbonisation strategy.

Introduction:

With a target of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, four decades ahead of India’s national goal, the Indian Railways is reshaping its energy, infrastructure, and financing architecture to become a global model for sustainable mobility.

Carrying over 24 million passengers and 3 million tonnes of freight daily, this transition directly supports India’s nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.

Green Transition and Decarbonisation Efforts in Railways:

1. Network Electrification: Over the past decade, the Indian Railways has electrified nearly 45,000 km of its broad-gauge network, bringing 98% of routes under electrification. This has drastically reduced diesel use and greenhouse gas emissions, marking a major shift toward energy efficiency.
2. Renewable Integration: Renewable power capacity has reached 756 MW (553 MW solar, 103 MW wind, 100 MW hybrid). Over 2,000 stations and offices are now powered by solar energy, reducing grid dependence and promoting clean traction power.
3. Net-Zero Buildings: Several railway complexes and offices have received the “Shunya” Net-Zero label from the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) for achieving energy neutrality and carbon efficiency.
4. Hydrogen for Heritage Initiative: This flagship programme aims to deploy 35 hydrogen-powered train units, with the first prototype hydrogen coach rolled out in 2025, representing a major milestone in green rail mobility.
5. Freight and Efficiency Gains: Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) are projected to prevent 457 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions over the next 30 years. The goal is to increase the rail freight modal share from 27% to 45% by 2030, cutting road-sector emissions.
6. Complementary Actions: Railways are also expanding biofuel blending, green building construction, and rolling stock modernisation with regenerative braking and energy-efficient locomotives.

Hydrogen Coach Technology and Innovation:

1. Fuel-Cell Mechanism: The hydrogen coach uses fuel-cell technology to generate electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, producing only water vapour as the by-product, ensuring zero tailpipe emissions.
2. Operational Context: Designed for non-electrified heritage routes where full electrification is uneconomical, these trains combine lightweight coach design, aerodynamic efficiency, and AI-based traction optimisation to minimise operational costs.
3. Global Positioning: With this innovation, India joins the league of nations such as Germany and Japan that are pioneering hydrogen-based railway systems as part of a wider low-carbon transport transition.

Climate Finance and Institutional Architecture:

1. Green Financing Framework: India has issued ₹58,000 crore worth of sovereign green bonds since FY2023, with ₹42,000 crore specifically allocated to electric locomotives, metros, and suburban rail projects.
2. IRFC’s Role: The Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) pioneered a $500 million green bond in 2017 for refinancing electric locomotive projects, and in 2025 extended a ₹7,500 crore loan to NTPC Green Energy to support renewable generation for traction power.
3. Multilateral Support: The World Bank’s $245 million Rail Logistics Project (2022) aims to decongest corridors and reduce transport-sector emissions through improved infrastructure efficiency.
4. Institutional Integration: Together, these instruments embed climate goals into national capital budgeting, aligning transport infrastructure with India’s low-carbon growth pathway.

Policy and Operational Priorities:

1. Renewable Power Procurement: Long-term contracts with solar and wind producers are critical to ensure that electrified routes are powered by green energy rather than coal-based electricity.
2. Green Mobility Hubs: Major stations are being redesigned as multi-modal eco-hubs with integration of EV charging stations, e-buses, and bicycle-sharing systems.
3. Freight Decarbonisation: Emphasis on electric, LNG, and hydrogen-fuelled trucks for last-mile logistics, reducing the carbon footprint beyond rail.
4. Rolling Stock Modernisation: Accelerated adoption of lightweight aluminium coaches, regenerative braking, and energy-efficient locomotives.
5. Behavioural Initiatives: Introduction of green certification for trains, carbon labelling of freight, and public awareness programmes to mainstream sustainability.

Projected Outcomes by 2030:

1. Net-Zero Achievement: The Indian Railways aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, preventing an estimated 60 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, equivalent to removing 13 million cars from the roads.
2. Economic Impact: Fuel cost savings from electrification and energy efficiency could exceed ₹1 lakh crore by 2030, freeing capital for further green infrastructure.
3. Global Benchmark: The Indian Railways is positioned to become the world’s first large rail system to achieve net-zero operations, setting a global precedent for state-run low-carbon transport.

Conclusion:

1. The hydrogen-powered coach exemplifies the synergy of technology, finance, and policy in achieving sustainable national mobility.
2. The Railways’ green transformation is both an environmental necessity and a strategic innovation model for the developing world.
3. Its successful execution will anchor India’s net-zero and green industrialisation vision, proving that scale and sustainability can coexist profitably.

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