Ballard Power Systems has received a purchase order for 15 70 kW FCmove-HD fuel cell modules from Tata Motors to power 15 of Tata’s zero-emission Fuel Cell Electric Buses (FCEBs).

Ballard plans to complete delivery of all modules by 2022. The buses are planned for deployment in Faridabad, the largest city in the National Capital Region of Delhi.

The 15 buses will be supplied by Tata to the Research & Development Centre of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL). Tata and IOCL will jointly study the potential of fuel cell technology for commercial vehicles, including testing, maintenance and operation of the FCEBs in real-world public transport conditions in India’s National Capital Region. IOCL will also generate and dispense the hydrogen fuel to be used by the Ballard modules in these buses.

India’s government and industry are increasingly looking at hydrogen—and particularly green hydrogen produced using renewable energy sources—as an alternative fuel to combat pollution levels in the country. This includes the National Capital Region, where winter months see dangerous levels of polluted air. Moreover, a new energy transition coalition called India H₂ Alliance was recently formed by major industry players, with a focus on commercializing hydrogen technologies and systems to create net-zero carbon pathways in India.