Green Hydrogen Mission and its application in transport: potential and limitations.

Launched in January 2023 with a ₹19,744 crore outlay, the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) targets 5 MMT annual green hydrogen production by 2030 [1]. Transport, a hard-to-abate sector, is a central frontier — as demonstrated by the flag-off of India's first hydrogen fuel-cell train on the Jind–Sonipat section (17 July 2026) [3].

Potential in transport

• Zero-emission mobility: fuel cells emit only water vapour, cutting rail's diesel dependence and advancing the Net Zero 2070 pledge [3].
• Scale via rail: the "Hydrogen for Heritage" scheme envisages 35 hydrogen trains on heritage/hill routes where overhead electrification is uneconomic [2].
• Energy security & Make-in-India: indigenous propulsion plus a green-hydrogen plant at Jind reduce import dependence [3].
• Multi-modal reach: NGHM's mobility component extends to buses, heavy trucks and shipping pilots [1].

Limitations

• High cost: ~₹80 crore per train and ₹70 crore per route infrastructure make it costlier than electrification [2].
• Production constraints: green hydrogen needs cheap renewable power and scaled electrolysers; the 5 MMT target remains ambitious [1].
• Infrastructure & safety gaps: no refuelling network; high-pressure storage poses hazards.
• Efficiency loss: electrolysis-to-fuel-cell conversion wastes energy versus direct grid electrification.

Green hydrogen should thus complement, not replace, network electrification — reserved for routes hard to electrify, while falling renewable costs and the SIGHT incentives bridge the price gap [1]. Anchored in NGHM and the Net Zero 2070 goal, calibrated deployment can make transport a cornerstone of India's clean-energy transition.