By Prarthana Mitra
Amidst incessant criticism of the pollution engulfing our national capital, Delhi government is currently deliberating on introducing H-CNG to tackle vehicular emission levels in the city. The new Hydrogen-enriched variant of CNG, the vehicular fuel in vogue since the crackdown on fossil fuels, is slated to replace it in the new future.
What is H-CNG?
Allegedly a cleaner version of CNG (Compressed Natural Gas), H-CNG is a greener mixture of Hydrogen and CNG and believed to be more potent in lowering the expulsion of particulate matter into the air.
How is it better than CNG?
The earlier variant was launched to tackled massive levels of fossil fuel emissions caused by vehicles plying on petrol and diesel. The shift to CNG, however, hasn’t had its desired effect in cleansing Delhi’s air, which remains enveloped in smog the better part of the year.
What are the benefits of switching to a greener fuel?
Following the strict directive by Supreme Court to the government authorities and Indian Oil Corporation, several public sector and privately-funded agencies were exploring the possibility of using this fuel mixture as a viable alternative to mitigate pollution. According to lab reports, 18 percent of Hydrogen gas in a fuel mixture with CNG can considerably reduce the quantities of harmful pollutants like carbon monoxide (CO) in gaseous emissions.
Along with a potential decline in the levels of greenhouse gases, introducing this green fuel has several other advantages. Not only will pedestrians be able to breathe in fresh air, without having to resort to air masks, H-CNG is cheaper, which means it would lead to a drop in fuel prices at a time when petrol is at an all-time high at Rs. 86 (in Mumbai).
Even as Delhi is prepping for an H-CNG rollout, other environmental conversation programmes have to complement this lone measure, in battling the indiscriminate pollution of the national capital over the last decade.
Prarthana Mitra is a staff writer at Qrius