The National Green Hydrogen Mission has been formally approved by the government with the stated objective of making India a hub for the production of green hydrogen.
The Union Cabinet approved a mission outlay of Rs 19,744 crore on Wednesday. The mission is intended to develop domestic manufacturing capabilities, decarbonize the energy sector, and use green hydrogen and its derivatives in mobility applications in an effort to lessen reliance on imported fossil fuels.
The ultimate goal is to use hydrogen to fuel important economic sectors. Hydrogen is produced by electrically splitting water, a process known as electrolysis, using an electrolyser that is entirely powered by renewable energy.
Fuel made of hydrogen
The most prevalent element in nature, hydrogen, must be collected from naturally existing substances like water because it only exists in combination with other elements (which is a combination of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom). Although hydrogen is a pure chemical, getting it requires a lot of energy.
Despite nearly 150 years of research into hydrogen’s potential as a clean fuel source, it wasn’t until the oil price shocks of the 1970s that the idea of hydrogen replacing fossil fuels started to receive significant consideration.
Three automakers, including South Korean Hyundai, Japan’s Honda, and Toyota, have now taken substantial action to commercialise the technology, albeit on a small scale.
Color tabs classify the sources and methods used to produce hydrogen. Grey hydrogen, which makes up the majority of the hydrogen produced today, is derived from fossil fuels. Blue hydrogen is produced using fossil fuels with options for carbon capture and storage, whereas green hydrogen is produced using electrolysers fueled by renewable energy sources.
Green hydrogen potential
Green hydrogen has certain benefits. It can decarbonize a variety of industries, including iron and steel, chemicals, and transportation, and it is a clean-burning molecule. Two, hydrogen can be produced using renewable energy that cannot be stored or utilised by the grid.
At the moment, green hydrogen is not economically viable. At the current price of about Rs 350–400 per kilogramme in India, it won’t likely become profitable until production costs fall below Rs 100 per kilogramme. The Hydrogen Energy Mission seeks to achieve this.
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