Is India heading next generation of power sector. ‘New Green Hydrogen Policy,2022 – An analysis’

The Ministry of Power has announced well awaited India’s ambitious Green Hydrogen Policy on 17^th February 2022 aims to aid the government in meeting its climate targets and making India a green hydrogen hub.

On 15 August 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the launch of National Hydrogen Mission (NHM) while commemorating the 75th years of independence with an aim to bring down the carbon emissions and to increase the use of renewable sources of energy. National Hydrogen Energy Board (NHEB) was formed in 2003 and in 2006 the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy brought the National Hydrogen Energy roadmap and recognized the transport and power generation as the two major green energy initiatives.

In the newly announced policy, the Govt of India reiterated its pledge to reduce global warming to the level less than 2 degree or if possible 1.5 degree higher than the pre-industrial levels. India is committed to have net zero emission targets. As mentioned in the policy, “Transition to Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia is one of the major requirements for reduction of emissions, especially in the hard to abate sectors. Government of India have had under consideration a number of policy measures in order to facilitate the transition from fossil fuel / fossil fuel based feed stocks to Green Hydrogen / Green Ammonia both as energy carriers and as chemical feed stock for different sectors”.

Important decisions taken on Green Hydrogen policy:

1. The waiver of inter-state transmission charges shall be granted for a period of 25 years to the producer of Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia from the projectscommissionedbefore30″June2025.
2. Green Hydrogen/Green Ammonia can be manufactured by a developer by using Renewable Energy giving an open hand for the source of renewable energy. Green Hydrogen/Green Ammonia plants will be granted Open Access for sourcing of Renewable Energy within5 days of receipt of application complete in all respects.
3. Banking shall be permitted for a period of 30 days for Renewable Energy used for making Green Hydrogen / Green Ammonia with leverage to Banking Transaction Charges.
4. Different Manufacturing Zones will be set up and the manufacturers of Green Hydrogen / Green Ammonia shall be allowed to set up storage facilities at the Port for export
5. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy(MNRE) will establish a single portal for all statutory clearances and permissions required for manufacture, transportation, storage and distribution of Green Hydrogen / Green Ammonia and cleared the cases in a time-bound manner

About Hydrogen Energy: Colour code of Hydrogen

• Grey (or black): Gasification of coal or reforming of natural gas without carbon capture
• Blue: Reforming of methane (SMR) with carbon capture and storage
• Green: Electrolysis of water using renewable power
• Pink (Red): Electrolysis of water using nuclear power
• Turquoise: Pyrolysis of methane which produces hydrogen and solid carbon as a by-product
• White: Gasification or other process using 100% biomass as a feedstock

India is participating in Mission Innovation Challenge for clean hydrogen and shares the objective to accelerate the development of a global hydrogen market by identifying and overcoming key technology barriers to the production, distribution, storage and use of hydrogen at gigawatt scale. By 2050 India intends to produce three-fourths of its hydrogen from renewable resources. R&D projects in India focus on improving the efficiency of water-splitting reaction, and finding newer materials, catalysts and electrodes to accelerate the reaction.

It has huge potential in transportation sector as a direct replacement to fossil fuels. Shipping and aviation have limited low-carbon fuel options available and represent an opportunity for hydrogen-based fuels. Hydrogen is difficult to store because of its extremely low volumetric density. It is the simplest, lightest and most abundant element in the universe. It is also extremely flammable

Initiatives for Green energy undertaken in India.

1. The first pilot is based on Grey Hydrogen or Hydrogen CNG (H-CNG) initiative, where hydrogen is blended with compressed natural gas (CNG) to the extent of 18%, for use as transportation fuel at Rajghat Bus depot, New Delhi. Under this pilot, 50 buses in Delhi are plying on blended Hydrogen in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
2. Two Pilot project for Setting up of Solar hydrogen refuelling station at two locations for demonstration of fuel cell vehicles at tourist sites like Delhi-Agra, Gujarat (Statue of Unity), etc.
3. One Pilot for setting up a green hydrogen plant to explore an opportunity of replacing conventional hydrogen in refinery with green hydrogen.
4. One Pilot for production of green hydrogen and its blending with Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) at an appropriate site in Rajasthan for dispensing at retail outlets.
5. One Pilot for setting up of green hydrogen infrastructure and pipeline injection of green hydrogen in City Gas Distribution (CGD) network.
6. Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and other giant Oil Companies are investing huge for Research and Development

Way ahead

Besides the heavy investment infrastructures, India need to look into following areas where Hydrogen Energy could play a vital role to achieve the ambitious goal of the Country to be at the top of the world in Green Energy Sector.

1. Latest, economical and efficient technology for production of Blue or Green Hydrogen.
2. Green Hydrogen through electrolysers can be designed and installed at all Gas Stations (CNG / PNG etc) for live mixing with Natural Gas.
3. Production of Green Hydrogen and transporting it through the existing CNG / PNG lines. India has tremendous possibility for this project as India already have about 16500 KMs of Gas Pipe Lines in different cities across India and more is in progress.
4. Introduction of low cost Electrolysers for production of Green Hydrogen.
5. Transportation of Hydrogen is the biggest problem being faced by the World. Since Hydrogn is the lightest Gas, its transportation is possible in cryo-compressed tanks in gaseous form apart from being kept in liquefied and solid state. New Technologies in this field is also having huge potential in terms of collaboration or investment.
6. Hydrogen Fuel Cell: Introduction of latest technologies in manufacturing of Hydrogen Fuel Cell will be another field of interest, both in collaboration and production in India.

This is an initiative by the Government of India which may lead the country to the leading position in the green energy corridor and will boost economy to the new height besides generation of new employment. The benefits in the grey areas of environment and climate change will definitely benefit the country across the globe.