One of the goals that countries all over the world have set for 2050 is to reduce the planet’s overall carbon footprint. In order to accomplish this, one of the keys is to decarbonize the production of an element such as hydrogen, which will result in the production of green hydrogen. This is one of the keys because hydrogen production is currently responsible for more than 2% of the total CO2 emissions on the planet. There is some cheering information about The National Green Hydrogen Mission for you if your company generates or makes use of environmentally friendly fuels.
The Union Cabinet gave its approval for the National Green Hydrogen Mission to have an initial budget of Rs 19,744 crore.
Exactly what does this brand-new initiative entail?
The race is on to secure future energy sources as the globe hunts for clean, convenient, and reliable alternatives to fossil fuels. Solar and wind energy have advanced, but their intermittent nature remains a challenge. For decades, nuclear energy has been expensive. Electric vehicles are becoming more popular, but they still lack the ease of gasoline or diesel.
In his speech to the nation on the occasion of India’s 75th Independence Day in 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a national mission for green fuels. This was done because the Center’s goal is for India to be energy independent before the 100th anniversary of the country’s independence.
The mission will have four subcomponents, each of which will aim to either increase the amount of green hydrogen made in the United States or encourage the production of electrolysis, which are an important part of making green hydrogen.
Even though there have been a lot of advancements made in the Green Hydrogen Technology, there are still a lot of obstacles to overcome in order to increase the use and adoption of Green Hydrogen technology. As a result, an approach in the manner of a mission, such as the Green Hydrogen Mission, is an encouraging step.
What are the benefits of Green Hydrogen?
Electrolysis is a chemical process that is used in the production of hydrogen, which is a fuel that is universal, light, and highly reactive. This technology is based on the electrolysis process. In order to separate the hydrogen from the oxygen found in water, this technique makes use of an electrical current. If we are able to obtain this electricity from renewable sources, we will be able to generate energy without contributing to the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
∙ Green hydrogen is completely safe for the environment because it doesn’t make any harmful waste products when it’s made or burned.
∙ Hydrogen is easy to store, which means that it can be used in the future for many different things and at many different times, including those that aren’t right after it is made.
∙ Green hydrogen has the potential to be converted into electricity or synthetic gas, both of which can then be put to use in commercial, industrial, or transportation settings.
What is the National Green Hydrogen Mission?
It is a program that will encourage commercial production of green hydrogen and turn India into a net exporter of the fuel. This will be accomplished through the use of financial incentives. The mission will assist in the development of a demand for green hydrogen as well as its production, utilization, and export.
The following is our mission’s goal:
∙ The goal is to increase the amount of renewable energy capacity in India to approximately 125 gigawatts (GW) by the year 2030, in addition to developing a green hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 million metric tonnes (MMT) per year.
∙ It is anticipated that it will result in the creation of six lakh new jobs and involve total investments of more than Rs 8 lakh crores.
∙ It will also result in a cumulative reduction in fossil fuel imports of more than Rs 1 lakh crore and a reduction of nearly 50 MT of annual greenhouse gas emissions. Both of these outcomes will be brought about as a result of this action.
Challenges of the National Green Hydrogen Mission
∙ The production of hydrogen via electrolysis involves a significant expenditure of resources due to the high level of energy required in the process. Electrolyzers that utilize cutting-edge technology are utilized in the process. Electrolyzers are relatively pricey pieces of equipment that use electricity to separate water into its component parts, hydrogen and oxygen. As a consequence of this, the cost of producing green hydrogen is quite high.
∙ The consumption of a substantial amount of energy for both the production of hydrogen in general and green hydrogen production in particular requires a significant amount of energy.
∙ Concerns relating to safety considering that hydrogen is a highly reactive and combustible element, extensive safety precautions are essential in order to forestall the occurrence of leaks and explosions.
Numerous Private Investments Coming In
Large corporations such as Reliance Industries and the Adani Group have recently begun making significant investments in the development of green hydrogen. In its announcement of a large investment plan totaling $20 billion to be made within the next 5-7 years, Reliance stated that the company will not only manufacture green hydrogen but also develop facilities to make electrolysers.
Indian Oil Corporation, which is one of the country’s leading sellers of transportation fuel, recently made an announcement that it intends to construct a green hydrogen plant at its Mathura refinery, which is located in Uttar Pradesh. Both GAIL and NTPC, which is India’s state-owned power company, have ambitions to construct India’s largest green hydrogen plant.
Adani Group’s renewable energy firm Adani Green Energy is based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. One of the world’s largest solar photovoltaic facilities, Kamuthi Solar Power Project, is owned and operated by the firm. Renewable biogas is thermally reformed into green hydrogen by the company. Adani Green Energy signed a $5 billion green hydrogen project with Total Energies SE in June 2022. A 4GW solar and wind farm will power the company’s 2GW hydrogen electrolyzer facility. By 2030, 30GWs of clean power will produce 1 million tonnes of green hydrogen.
Hydrogen is predicted to disrupt the carbon-intensive industrial sector and drive India’s energy revolution. It will help India reach net zero. The government’s renewable energy plan aims to make the country energy-independent and decarbonize its major sectors. The plan will decarbonize industrial, mobility, and energy sectors, enhance indigenous manufacturing capabilities, create jobs, and develop cutting-edge technologies.