Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) is making strong moves to branch out into the production of alternative fuels. The top oil marketing company (OMC), for instance, is ramping up its capabilities to supply hydrogen. At a virtual conclave organised by our sister publication Autocar Professional on 'Meeting Emission Challenges', Indian Oil's chairman, Shrikant Madhav Vaidya, said, "Indian Oil is committed to the use of hydrogen and we are doing a lot of research in this particular aspect." He added that the use of hydrogen is expected to increase "in a big way".

Commenting on Indian Oil’s plans for hydrogen production, Vaidya said, “Who better than the oil industry to talk about hydrogen? We are the single biggest producers of hydrogen.” He continued, “I’m very happy to share that we are going to operate nearly 50 buses on hydrogen fuel cells from two sides - from the Panipat (Haryana) refinery and the Gujarat refinery. The work at the refinery end has already started, and we have invested to make 99.5 INI fuel purity.” Vaidya said that fuel cell buses will be rolled out by October or November this year.

Indian Oil is also touted to be working on making hydrogen commercially viable. “Presently, the hydrogen that is being produced is from natural gas, and it’s not really that economical. But just to push the whole game forward, it will be more or less subsidised by Indian Oil.”

Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) is making strong moves to branch out into the production of alternative fuels. The top oil marketing company (OMC), for instance, is ramping up its capabilities to supply hydrogen. At a virtual conclave organised by our sister publication Autocar Professional on 'Meeting Emission Challenges', Indian Oil's chairman, Shrikant Madhav Vaidya, said, "Indian Oil is committed to the use of hydrogen and we are doing a lot of research in this particular aspect." He added that the use of hydrogen is expected to increase "in a big way".

The OMC is also looking to establish a business case by pushing for economies of scale. “We are also going to line up all the automotive companies. We are already in the process to come up with vehicles so that we can supply hydrogen at a very reasonable price. I’m sure all the automobile companies will join hands with us in this very big experiment where we are trying to ensure that hydrogen really becomes the fuel of the future in the days and years to come.”