Early in December 2022, Reliance India Limited (RIL) was said to have contracted 45,000 trucks from Ashok Leyland to be retro-fit with fuel cell engines, which would enable them to run on green hydrogen instead of diesel. A month later, Ashok Leyland has partnered with Adani Group to deploy hydrogen fueled trucks for transportation, thereby, pushing further towards sustainable mobility.
Gautam Adani’s group has signed an agreement with Ashok Leyland and Ballard Power to launch a pilot project to develop a hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks. The said trucks will be used in mining logistics and transportation, making them Asia’s first planned hydrogen mining trucks. The hydrogen powered mining truck will weigh 55 tons, have three hydrogen tanks, a 200-km working range, and powered by Ballard’s 120 kW PEM fuel cell technology.
“Adani Enterprises Ltd (AEL), part of the diversified Adani portfolio of companies, signed an agreement to launch a pilot project to develop a hydrogen fuel cell electric truck (FCET) for mining logistics and transportation with Ashok Leyland, India, and Ballard Power, Canada,”
Adani Group
In the next ten years, the Adani Group plans to invest more than USD 50 billion in green hydrogen and associated ecosystems for a capacity of up to 3 million tons of green hydrogen annually, the statement by the group read.
“This pioneering and ambitious green hydrogen project holds a strong promise for India’s future energy self-reliance and is consistent with the vision of Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, of accelerating the use of hydrogen-powered fuel cell technology in the commercial transport system.”
Vinay Prakash, Director, Adani Enterprises Limited and CEO, Adani Natural Resources
According to Prakash, using green hydrogen for commercial purposes will strike two birds with one stone. Not only will it accelerate the use of hydrogen technology for mining and logistics sector, it will also enable and encourage the adoption of sustainable mobility in ports, airports and industrial operations.
“After signing an MoU with the Adani Group last year, we are eager to move our partnership forward and welcome the chance to cooperate with cutting-edge businesses like Adani. Our technology offers a strong value proposition for their heavy-duty mining truck with our zero emission engines providing long range, rapid refueling and heavy payload capabilities” said Randy MacEwen, CEO, Ballard Power Systems.
Meanwhile, N Saravanan, CTO, Ashok Leyland, said, “With our track record of developing unique and new products, Ballard’s technological expertise in fuel cells, and Adani’s unwavering dedication to hydrogen, there is a significant opportunity for India to decarbonize both goods and passenger transportation.”
