Table of Contents
UPSC PRELIMS 2017
Consider the following statements:
- Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) to Reduce Short Lived Climate Pollutants is a unique initiative of G20 group of countries.
- The CCAC focuses on methane, black carbon and hydrofluorocarbons. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
ANSWER IS B
- In 2012, the governments of Bangladesh, Canada, Ghana, Mexico, Sweden and the United States, along with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), came together to initiate efforts to treat short-lived climate pollutants as an urgent and collective challenge.
- Together, they formed the Climate & Clean Air Coalition to support fast action and deliver benefits on several fronts at once: climate, public health, energy efficiency, and food security.
WORLD’S FIRST
- Germany now has a hydrogen fuel cell-powered train, which is a world’s first.
- The trains are officially called as Coradia iLint, and these will operate in northern German towns.
- This is the first time in the world that commercial trains being powered by hydrogen-based cells have gone into use for passengers.
NEW TRAIN
- The train was manufactured by Alstom, which is one of Europe’s largest railway manufacturers and the service officially started on September 16.
- The Coradia iLint has been built in Salzgitter, Germany and relies on fuel cells which will convert hydrogen and oxygen into electricity.
- The idea with these hydrogen based trains is to move away from diesel based systems, which cause more pollution emissions.
NOTES
- The trains are low-noise, zero-emission and can reach speeds of up to 140 km per hour, according to the company.
- For now, the trains will only operate on 100 km of line running between Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven, Bremervörde and Buxtehude, though they are capable of running longer distances.
- These will replace the current diesel fleet on the train line and help reduce emissions.
NOTES
- Alstom plans to deliver a further 14 Coradia iLint trains to the network by 2021.
- Hydrogen is seen as a low-emission and efficient alternative to diesel, which ensures that the trains are environment friendly. • Each train costs $7 million. (around 50 crore rupees)
IMPORTANT FOR GERMANY
- Air pollution has become an increasing problem in Germany, with nitrous dioxide causing over 10,000 premature deaths in 2016.
- Alstom is optimistic that the Coradia iLint trains will catch on, with on a focus on making non-electrified train lines more environmentally friendly.
BATTERIES
- Hydrogen trains are equipped with fuel cells that produce electricity by combining hydrogen with oxygen.
- This conversion process only emits steam and water, thus producing zero emissions. Excess energy produced is stored in ion-lithium batteries on board train.
STEPS TAKEN IN INDIA
HYDROGEN ECONOMY
The hydrogen economy is a proposed system of delivering energy using hydrogen. In the current hydrocarbon economy, transportation is fueled primarily by petroleum. Burning of hydrocarbon fuels emits carbon dioxide and other pollutants.
Latest Burning Issues | Free PDF
WhatsApp