Editorial: Towards clean energy

Recent approval for the National Green Hydrogen Mission underlines India’s commitment to renewable energy.

Hyderabad: Hydrogen, an abundantly available element in Nature, is the cleanest fuel and offers an ideal solution for humanity to wriggle out of the climate crisis. But, it is locked up with other elements in the form of water, hydrocarbons and other organic matter. It needs to be extracted. Since the current commercial processes of extracting hydrogen pollute the atmosphere, ‘green hydrogen’ holds hope. Hydrogen produced by electrolysing water, using electricity from solar or wind projects, is designated as green hydrogen and is considered the cleanest fuel because its production doesn’t leave any carbon trail. India stands a good chance of developing a competitive advantage in green hydrogen globally. The union Cabinet’s recent approval for the National Green Hydrogen Mission, with an initial outlay of Rs19,744 crore, is a welcome step which underlines India’s commitment to renewable energy. By 2030, the mission aims to achieve a green hydrogen production capacity of 5 MMT (million metric tonne) annually, creation of over six lakh jobs, cumulative reduction in fossil fuel imports and abatement of nearly 50 MMT of annual greenhouse gas emissions. The use of green hydrogen in India is still in the early stages, and there are several challenges that need to be addressed in order to scale up its production and use. These include the high cost of production, lack of infrastructure for distribution and storage of hydrogen, and the need to develop suitable technologies for its use in different applications.

Despite these challenges, the potential for green hydrogen is significant. India enjoys a unique advantage for green hydrogen production with abundant renewable resources and is one of the biggest renewable markets in the world. Hydrogen can play a key role in the country’s energy mix, helping reduce reliance on fossil fuels and contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable energy system. With the right policies and investments, green hydrogen could become a major part of India’s energy future. It is also vital for the country to meet its Nationally Determined Contribution targets and ensure regional and national energy security, access and availability. Under the Paris Climate Agreement, India pledged to reduce the emission intensity of its economy by 33-35% from 2005 levels by 2030. Green hydrogen can drive India’s transition to clean energy and combat climate change. The expected long-term benefits of the mission will include creation of export opportunities for green Hydrogen and its derivatives; and decarbonisation of industrial, mobility and energy sectors. Creation of employment opportunities for the young demography and the development of cutting-edge technologies will be added advantages. Green Hydrogen can act as an energy storage option, which would be essential to meet intermittencies of renewable energy in the future. India has a distinct advantage in low-cost renewable energy generation which makes green Hydrogen the most competitive form of Hydrogen in the long run.

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