Beijing: China has unveiled the first hydrogen-powered passenger train in Asia. It was built in cooperation with Chengdu Rail Transit and CRRC Changchun Railway Company.

The train can travel 500 km back and forth in a single day and claims an annual reduction of 10,000 kg of carbon dioxide emissions. Significantly, in August 2022, the world's first hydrogen-powered train started running in Germany.

In view of the increasing level of air pollution, it is necessary to find sustainable transport options. The use of hydrogen appears to be a viable option.

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In China, hydrogen trains can also be used on non-electronically operated lines, which helps reduce infrastructure investment and operating costs. India needs to join the sustainability bandwagon, which China and Germany have already jumped on.

China's new hydrogen-powered train uses the core technology of the Fuxing bullet train. It can travel at a top speed of 160 km/h, has four coaches and can seat 1502 people.

Its built-in "hydrogen power" system has a battery life of 600 kilometers per charge. Since hydrogen is a renewable energy source with no carbon emissions, there is no need to worry about them.

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The hydrogen train in China has intelligent driving functions such as start and stop, autonomous wake-up, and depot return. The use of 5G train-to-ground communication for multi-network integration, intelligent monitoring systems and sensors, big data analysis and other technologies are also available to ensure proper safety standards.

Hydrogen trains use an energy supply mode that combines a supercapacitor and a hydrogen fuel cell, in place of a catenary power supply system, which uses overhead wires to supply electricity to the trains.

In a fuel cell, a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen produces energy and water as a byproduct. Low levels of noise are emitted during the reaction process.

According to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, by December 2023, hydrogen-powered trains will run on narrow gauge historic routes. The present trains, which were built in the 1950s and 1960s, will replace these Vande Metro trains.

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Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Matheran Hill, Nilgiri Mountains, Kalka Shimla, Kangra Valley, Marwar-Deogarh Madaria, and Bilmora Waghai are some of the routes he will travel through.