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FUEL FOR THE FUTURE
What the article is about?
- Talks about the need to focus on Green hydrogen
Syllabus: GS-II Government policies and interventions; GS-III Sustainable development, Environment conservation
Need for Green Hydrogen:
- Ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine led to the prices of crude oil shooting to $130/barrel.
- The rise in prices of oil, natural gas and fertilisers highlights India’s vulnerability to geopolitical sanctions.
- Deficiencies associated with Renewable Energy (RE) technologies:
- RE can only be generated intermittently. Battery technology cannot store electricity at a grid scale.
- Financial viability of green power. A business cannot prosper if its primary customers are not financially viable.
- EV technologies have limitations. Most of India’s oil is burnt in heavy trucks.
- Availability of critical minerals- lithium and cobalts; very concentrated supply chains that are vulnerable to disruptions.
Prospects Hydrogen can offer:
- Intermittent hydrogen in the energy mix can help circumvent some of these problems.
- As of now, the hydrogen used in industries is grey hydrogen – produced from natural gas.
- Green hydrogen produced using renewable energy can be blended with grey hydrogen.
- Green hydrogen can be blended with compressed natural gas too.
Measures required :
- Building fleets of hydrogen-furled vehicles for gated infrastructure can be a good starting point.
- By bringing down the price of green hydrogen sufficiently, India can help unlock some stranded assets.
- Establishing specialised companies with a clear focus has helped projects get off the ground.
- With government participation capped at 50%.
- Along with government-backed players, private sector participation also need to be promoted.
Steps taken:
- The Union Budget for 2021-22 has announced a National Hydrogen Energy Mission (NHM) that will draw up a road map for using hydrogen as an energy source.
- Indian Initiatives for Renewable Energy:
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- Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM).
- International Solar Alliance.
- PM- KUSUM.
- National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy.
- Rooftop Solar Scheme.
- Recently, the Ministry of Power (MoP) announced a Green Hydrogen Policy (GHP).
- Industry participants have largely welcomed it, for it fits in well with the climate-action thrust of India’s budget for 2022-23.
