(GIST OF SCIENCE REPORTER) INDIA’S FIRST HYDROGEN FUEL CELL FERRY

(APRIL-2024)

Prime Minister inaugurated India’s first indigenously built hydrogen fuel cell ferry, marking a significant milestone in the country’s pursuit of clean and sustainable maritime transportation.

The Harit Nauka initiative sets ambitious goals for the adoption of green fuels in inland water transportation.

Transition 50% of their inland waterway passenger fleet to green fuels within the next decade.
Achieve a complete shift (100%) to green fuels by 2045.
This initiative emphasizes the government’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable practices in the maritime sector.

Hydrogen fuel cells offer a promising solution for clean energy generation.
They combine hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity, with water vapor as the only byproduct. Working Principle of HFC
Hydrogen fuel cells function through an electrochemical process. Hydrogen gas is fed to the anode, where a catalyst separates it into protons and electrons.
Electrons flow through an external circuit, generating electricity, while protons pass through the electrolyte membrane to the cathode.
At the cathode, they combine oxygen from the air and electrons to form water vapor, the only emission from the cell.