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NTPC Deploys India’s First Hydrogen Fuel Cell Buses in Leh, Setting Altitude Benchmark

NTPC has delivered five hydrogen fuel cell buses to Sindhu Infrastructure Development Corporation (SIDCO), marking India’s first commercial deployment of hydrogen-powered buses. The initiative, launched in Leh, Union Territory of Ladakh, sets a global milestone as the highest-altitude operation of hydrogen mobility, situated at 11,562 feet.

These buses will operate from India’s first high-pressure hydrogen dispensing station, part of the world’s first integrated Green Hydrogen Mobility Station inaugurated by NTPC in November 2023. The station includes a dedicated 1.7 MW solar plant to power all operations, ensuring a completely green hydrogen ecosystem. Hydrogen is dispensed at 350 bar pressure into fuel cell buses specifically designed to withstand Leh’s sub-zero temperatures and thin atmosphere.

The project is expected to reduce carbon emissions by approximately 350 metric tonnes annually while producing 230 MT of pure oxygen, equivalent to the impact of planting 13,000 trees. The buses were handed over in the presence of senior officials from SIDCO, NTPC, and the Leh Administration, including Ladakh’s Chief Secretary Dr. Pawan Kotwal.

NTPC, India’s largest power utility, is advancing its renewable portfolio with over 81 GW of installed capacity and 29.5 GW under construction. It aims to reach 60 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2032.