Hardeep Singh Puri offers “green hydrogen” mobility solution to Bhutanese PM

With an objective to promote sustainable transportation solutions, Petroleum Minsiter Hardeep Singh Puri showcased India’s advancements in green hydrogen mobility by demonstrating a hydrogen-fuelled bus to Prime Minister of Bhutan, Tshering Tobgay and his delegation.

The fuel cell bus has been powered by state owned IndianOil. The event was attended by V Satish Kumar, Chairman & Director (Marketing), along with other senior dignitaries from the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.

During the demonstration, Hardeep Singh Puri remarked, “We are eager to extend our expertise and collaborate with regional partners like Bhutan to pave the way for a cleaner, greener future. With projects about hydrogen blending in natural gas pipelines, localization of electrolyzer-based technologies, and promotion of bio-pathways for green hydrogen production being pursued aggressively, India will be a global champion in the production & exports of H2 & is set to emerge as the Hub for green hydrogen which is deemed as the fuel for future with immense potential in helping India meet it’s decarbonization targets.”

The Bhutanese delegation visit highlighted the shared vision between India and Bhutan for advancing green energy initiatives. Bhutan delegation expressed keen interest in adopting green hydrogen mobility, which aligns with the country’s commitment to environmental sustainability and clean energy solutions.

IndianOil has been a pioneer in hydrogen research since 2004, initially focusing on hydrogen-CNG blends. Over the past five years, IndianOil has ramped up its green hydrogen initiatives, with projects spanning storage, transportation, and various applications.

Notably, India’s first hydrogen dispensing station is operational at IndianOil’s R&D Centre in Faridabad, and a collaboration with Tata Motors has led to the development and operation of green hydrogen fuel cell buses.

Currently, eight fuel cell buses—including one each for the Indian Army and Indian Navy—are operational in the Delhi NCR region, with an additional four buses deployed in Vadodara, refueled at IndianOil’s hydrogen dispensing station.