Indian Oil, IGL to Set Up H-CNG Station in Delhi

State-owned Indian Oil Corporation and Indraprastha Gas (IGL) will set up a 4 metric tons/day compact reformer-based hydrogen spiked-compressed natural gas (H-CNG) station at Delhi Transport Corporation's (DTC) Depot-1 at Rajghat in New Delhi, Indian Oil said July 4.

“Field trials will be conducted on 50 DTC buses using the patented technology developed by Indian Oil's Research & Development Centre, to help reduce emissions and improve fuel economy of the buses,” Indian Oil said.

Following the directive of the Supreme Court of India, Indian Oil and IGL have collaborated to put up this first semi-commercial station as a pilot project for conducting a study on the use of H-CNG fuel in 50 BS-IV compliant CNG buses in Delhi. The station will be commissioned by November 2019 and the performance report will be submitted to the Supreme Court after six-month trial. The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority has been authorised to monitor the trials by the Supreme Court.

According to Indian Oil, H-CNG when used in an engine in place of CNG, results in cleaner combustion, thereby reducing emissions and improving fuel economy. H-CNG, produced from natural gas through Indian Oil's patented compact reformer technology, when tested at the Automotive Research Association of India, resulted in 70% reduction of carbon monoxide and 25% reduction in hydrocarbon emissions as compared with the baseline CNG, it said.

“It is estimated that the compact reforming process will be 30% more cost-effective compared to physical blending of hydrogen in CNG for deriving the same benefits,” Indian Oil said.