Indias Green Hydrogen

 

Context

• As per recent study by Climate Risk Horizons (CRH), India's green hydrogen move may worsen pollution if steps are not in place to curb fossil fuel emissions in green hydrogen production.    

Current Issue in Green Hydrogen Production 

1. Continuous Operation of Electrolysers

• If electrolysers (essential for green hydrogen production) run 24/7, they would need to operate at night when there is no solar power available.
• This would likely require drawing electricity from the conventional coal-fired grid, using which could increase carbon emissions.

2. Lack of Transparency in Project Electricity Sources

• The report notes that the majority of projects have not disclosed their electricity sources, and it remains unclear whether the few projects that have made commitments are meeting 100% of their electricity requirements from renewable sources.

 

Implications of Green Hydrogen Production

Significance of Green Hydrogen

Way Forward

1. Providing Finance: Policymakers must facilitate investments in early-stage piloting and the research and development needed to advance the technology for use in India.
2. Implement Complementary Solutions that Create Virtuous Cycles: For example, hydrogen infrastructure can be set up for refueling, heating and generating electricity at airports.
3. Set a National Target for Green Hydrogen and Electrolyser Capacity: A phased manufacturing programme should be used to build a vibrant hydrogen products export industry in India such as green steel (commercial hydrogen steel plant).
4. Decentralized Production: Decentralized hydrogen production must be promoted through open access of renewable power to an electrolyser (which splits water to form H2 and O2 using electricity).

 

 

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