Delhi gets its first Hydrogen- Compressed Natural Gas (HCNG) station for Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses plying across the city. The HCNG station is expected to reduce 80 percent of vehicular population caused by the DTC and Cluster buses in the city.

Witnessing the increasing level of pollution the Supreme Court last year asked the Delhi Government and EPCA to explore an idea for hydrogen bus instead of electric bus. Following which, the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) conducted a study to explore hydrogen CNG fuel and inaugurated the pilot project on Thursday for setting up 4 tonnes per day compact reformer based Hydrogen CNG (HCNG) production unit Rajghat-1 depot of Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC).

Following the order, IOCL and IGL collaborated to put up this first semi-commercial plant as a pilot project for conducting the study on the use of HCNG fuel in 50 BS IV compliant CNG buses in Delhi. The plant will be commissioned by November 2019 and the performance report will be submitted to the Apex court after the trial for six months thereafter. EPCA was authorized to monitor by Supreme Court.

According to the officials, the Hydrogen spiked CNG will help to reduce harmful emissions and improve the fuel economy. The fuel when tested at Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), resulted in the 70% reduction of carbon monoxide and 25% reduction in hydro carbon emissions as compared to baseline CNG. It is estimated that this compact reforming process is 30% more cost effective compared to physical blending of hydrogen in CNG for deriving the same benefits.

The foundation stone for the first HCNG station was laid by Dr. Bhure Lal, Chairman of Environment Pollution (Prevent and Control) Authority (EPCA).

"The pilot project would be successful and would be expanded across the country in the times to come. It is now a question of human survival and new technology needs to

be adopted to improve air quality," Bhure Lal.