Mumbai, September 10 (MeelBijendra) – India set ambitious targets to achieve energy independence by 2047 and reach net zero emissions by 2070. The key to achieving these goals lies in the widespread adoption of renewable energy across all sectors of the Indian economy. Of all the options that could facilitate this energy transition, green hydrogen appears to be the most promising.
The National Green Hydrogen Mission in India is attempting to establish a roadmap to meet 25% of the country’s hydrogen demand through green hydrogen by 2030.
The Mission’s focus on promoting domestic manufacturing of electrolyzers is an initiative designed to unlock opportunities similar to the PLI scheme seen in the energy storage, cell phone, and other electronic manufacturing sectors.
India’s current use of hydrogen in fertilizer manufacturing, ammonia, or petroleum refining is about 6 million tonnes. By starting with small blending percentages such as 5% or 10% green hydrogen with gray hydrogen developed through the steam reforming process, India can create strong green hydrogen traction.
The current cost of green hydrogen is US$5-8 per kilogram. It is acknowledged that with technological innovation and better manufacturing, there is a possibility of reducing it to US$3 or even US$1 per kilogram.
India can initially leverage existing technologies and scale to generate demand, starting with a medium mix. This approach can gradually increase domestic demand, thereby increasing the blending percentage. By adopting this strategy, India can establish a strong green hydrogen manufacturing base.
India has set an ambitious target of achieving 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 which will generate additional renewable energy. This energy can be used to produce green hydrogen for industrial decarbonization thereby reducing India’s dependence on fossil fuels.
The development of green hydrogen as a fuel will not only reduce India’s carbon footprint but will also make the country less dependent on oil imports, thereby improving national energy security.
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