Lucknow-based electric systems and solutions provider, Concord Control Systems, has secured a ₹470 million (~$5.16 million) order from NTPC to supply a 3,100 HP green hydrogen hybrid locomotive, marking a global first in high-horsepower hydrogen-powered rail propulsion.

The contract has been awarded to Concord’s wholly owned subsidiary, Advanced Rail Controls, and involves supplying all equipment for a retrofitted green hydrogen fuel-cell locomotive to be operated at NTPC’s Sipat facility in Chhattisgarh, with execution scheduled within 18 months.

The scope of work includes basic design for retrofitting the system into existing locomotives or designing a new locomotive, detailed engineering, procurement, fabrication, inspection, packing and forwarding, and supply of materials. It also covers transportation and handling, applicable customs and other duties, freight, insurance, unloading and storage, commissioning, testing and performance guarantee tests, and training, along with 20 years of turnkey operation and maintenance of all systems.

According to the disclosures, this project represents the world’s highest-ever horsepower conversion of a diesel locomotive to hydrogen propulsion, far exceeding the earlier global benchmark of around 1,600 HP.

Unlike experimental pilots, the locomotive is positioned as a commercially deployable, freight-scale solution, aimed at demonstrating the real-world viability of hydrogen for heavy-duty rail transport.

Concord highlighted that the project underscores India’s leadership in clean mobility and indigenous engineering, aligning with Indian Railways’ target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, well ahead of the country’s broader 2070 net-zero goal.

The company said the order strengthens its role in next-generation railway technology and opens up opportunities for global expansion in hydrogen and battery-powered rail systems, particularly in markets pursuing net-zero transport solutions.

The company clarified that the order is domestic in nature and does not involve any related-party transactions. Overall, the twin disclosures position the NTPC–Concord project as a landmark in India’s clean energy and rail decarbonisation journey, with potential implications for future hydrogen-based freight mobility both in India and internationally.

Globally, the announcement comes at a time when the European Union is targeting climate neutrality by 2050, the United States is working towards net-zero rail by 2050, and countries including Japan, Australia, Brazil, South Africa, and China are advancing hydrogen rail pilots.

Earlier in 2023, Indian Railways initiated construction of a hydrogen production and refueling station in Jind, Haryana, to supply the country’s first-ever hydrogen train under the Hydrogen for Heritage initiative. The pilot project involved retrofitting the diesel-electric multiple-unit rake on the Sonipat-Jind section from diesel to a hydrogen-powered train. Under the initiative, Indian Railways plans to operate 35 hydrogen trains, the first of which will operate on the 89-kilometer stretch between Jind and Sonipat.