The Union Cabinet approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission The mission will make India the world’s hub in the manufacture of hydrogen green.
What is Green Hydrogen?
Green hydrogen is a gas created by electrolysis of water. It’s an energy-intensive procedure to split water into oxygen and hydrogenby using renewable energy to accomplish this. The current price of Green Hydrogen in India is between Rs300-400 per kilogram.
Green Hydrogen Mission
The National Hydrogen Mission was launched on the 15th of August 2021 in the hope of reducing carbon emissions and expanding the utilization of renewable energy sources.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) will create the guidelines for implementation of the scheme.
Key characteristics
Capacity for power: This project is to encourage the growth of green hydrogen production capacities that is at least 5 MMT annually, and a renewable energy capacity expansion of 125 GW across the country in 2030.
Employment creation: It is expected to see an investment of more than 8 lakh crore, and the creation of more than 6 lakh jobs by 2030.
The reduction in energy imports can result in a total reduction in fossil fuel imports by over Rs1 lakh crore, and the reduction of around 50 MMT of greenhouse gas emissions in 2030.
Export promotion: The goal is to facilitate demand creation production, utilization, in exporting green hydrogen.
Incentives: Under the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition Programme (SIGHT), two distinct incentive mechanisms for financial reward focused on domestic production of electrolysers as well as the production of hydrogen green will be offered as part of the mandate.
Green Hydrogen Hubs: Regions that can support large-scale production and/or use of hydrogen are to be identified, and further developed into Green Hydrogen Hubs.
Hydrogen Energy: A Backgrounder
Hydrogen is a significant source of energy because it is completely carbon-free and is an unpolluting energy source in contrast to hydrocarbons which have net carbon content that are in the range of 75 to 85 percent.
Hydrogen energy is predicted to lower carbon emissions, which will increase up to 1.5 billion tons by 2021.
It is the one with one of the largest energy contents per weight, and has the it has the lowest volume of energy content.
According to International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Hydrogen shall make 6 percent of the energy consumed total by 2050.
Hydrogen energy is at the beginning of its development, yet it has huge potential to aid in the transition of energy towards renewable energy instead of hydrocarbon.
Why do we need hydrogen?
More desirable properties normal pressure and temperature hydrogen is non-toxic and non-metallic gas that is odorless, non-odourless, colorless, tasteless and highly combustible diatomic.
Clean fuel Hydrogen fuel can be described as a no-emission fuel that is burned using oxygen. It can be utilized in fuel cells as well as internally combustion engines. It can also be used an energy source for spacecraft propulsion.
Many sources: Hydrogen may be obtained from natural gas and nuclear power and renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.
The carbon phase is over: India remains committed to climate and environmental causes, with a major focus on the use of renewable energy as well as efficient energy measures.
Diversification in our energy supply could be the main factor that will enable this change. This is why the appearance of hydrogen as the main of the energy spectrum is an exciting change.
How can Hydrogen be made?
Commercially viable Hydrogen is created from the following:
Hydrocarbons such as natural gas as well as coal, are produced through processes such as steam methane reforming, partial oxygenation and coal gasification
Renewables such as sunlight, water and wind can be produced through electrolysis as well as photolysis as well as other thermochemical processes.
How can Green Hydrogen produced?
As a source material, the present green hydrogen is generally produced by water using electrolysis, a process that makes use of the power of electricity to divide water into its components molecules of oxygen and hydrogen.
This is accomplished using a device dubbed an electrolyzer. It consists of an anode and cathode (positively as well as positively electrically charged electrodes).
This process only produces steam or oxygen as an by-product.
For energy sources, in order to qualify to be categorized as “green hydrogen,” the electricity that is used in electrolysis has to come from renewable energy sources, like solar or wind energy.
The generation of green hydrogen has been currently two or three times more expensive than blue hydrogen.
What is the best way to make green hydrogen utilized?
Hydrogen can be utilized in broad two ways. It is able to be burned to generate heat or pumped through a cell for fuel in order to generate electricity.
The Fuel Cell Mobility Program: Electric Hydrogen vehicles and trucks
Container ships are powered by liquid ammonia derived by hydrogen
“Green steel” refineries burning hydrogen as a source of heat instead of coal
Hydrogen-powered turbines for electricity that produce electricity during times of high demand to assist in ensuring the stability of the electricity grid
Production challenges Green Hydrogen
India’s shift to green hydrogen-based economy (GHE) will only be possible after certain issues are solved.
Supply Chain Issues GHE is dependent on the development the supply chain beginning with the production of electrolysers and ending with the production of green hydrogen making use of electricity generated by the renewable energy source.
Technologies: Green hydrogen requires electrolysers that are built in a bigger scale than what we’ve seen.
Storage: Very high pressures or extremely high temperatures is required each which have their specific technical issues.
Explosion Hazards: It’s dangerous due to the low energy of ignition as well as the high amount of energy that it takes to burn.
Safety of use Car fuels are extremely inflammable, however a vehicle filled with hydrogen is more likely to be at risk in the event of a serious accident.
Production Costs are high: In order to be competitive, the cost for green hydrogen per kilo needs been reduced to a minimum of $2/kg. In these conditions, it is possible that green hydrogen will be competitive with natural gas.
Energy intensivity: The process of creating green hydrogen requires a large amount of electricity. This implies a massive growth in the amount of solar and wind power needed to achieve global goals.
Insufficient infrastructure, just 500 Hydrogen stations are operating globally. Only countable companies are involved with this type of technology as market participants.
Others: Poor acceptance and awareness of social issues. Developing after-sales service for hydrogen technology.
Policy and Economic Challenges
Economic sustainability One of the most significant issues facing the hydrogen industry commercially is the financial sustainability of obtaining blue or green hydrogen.
Technology-related challenges: The techniques that is used to produce and make the use of hydrogen, such as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and hydrogen fuel cells are in the early stages of development.
Cost Factor The technology is expensive that in turn increase the cost of making hydrogen. It will also require significant investment, which will add the fiscal burden on the government.
Costs for maintenance that are higher Costs for maintenance of fuel cells after the completion of a plant may be a significant expense.
Legal and administrative compliance to the following recommendations, certification mechanisms and regulations for various elements in the process.
The way forward
Hydrogen energy is in an early stage of development, but holds a significant opportunity for achieving the energy transition in India.
The new policy offers an innovative vision that will assist the country to not just reduce its carbon emissions, but also diversify its energy sources and reduce its dependence on foreign sources.
The transition of India could be a proof to the world of the attainment of energy security, while not jeopardizing the aim of sustainable growth.
The GoI must firmly focus on the goal of creating the GHE that will create India the world’s leading manufacturing center and to position it in the top position of the market for green hydrogen exports.