Green Hydrogen to steer Indian Economy

 

Green Hydrogen to steer Indian Economy

Green hydrogen is critical to India’s economic development and net zero ambitions. India is planning a massive expansion of green hydrogen production to control its dependence on energy  imports and to halt the economy off fossil fuels. 

The recent floods, earthquakes and erratic rainfall are evidence of the unpredictable damages to human lives, businesses, and private and public properties. India has taken an ardent strategy to move away from dependence on fossil fuels to renewable sources progressively. Economic activities adhering to cleaner sources of energy would have a positive impact on protecting the environment and minimising havoc created by climate changes. India is one of the global leader who paid attention to climate change and has taken ambitious pro-active steps.

Green hydrogen is widely expected to play a major role in decarbonising heavy industries, including oil refineries, steel mills and fertiliser plants. India’s current output of the fuel is very low and comes from a handful of pilot projects. Going forward, the energy mix rapidly shifts towards Renewable power and hydrogen. Green hydrogen can help solve India’s twin problems — energy security and decarbonisation of its economy.

The Government push on the Green hydrogen by creating the hydrogen policy , Hydrogen demand is projected to grow exponentially by 2050, driven primarily by road transport, maritime, and aviation, while its supply is expected to shift from nearly 100% grey hydrogen to 95% clean production by 2050, as costs decline and policymakers support hydrogen technology adoption. Green hydrogen can be utilised not just for grid-scale storage solutions and feedstock for ammonia but can play a bigger role in long-distance transportation. This entails several departments of the Government coming together to offer a conducive environment for participation from the private sector, as well as a platform to fuel innovation through continuous research and development.

Developing an ecosystem to cater to hydrogen will give a major boost economically as they will lessen their dependence on importing fossil fuels. Green hydrogen will change the global trade balances which is why major oil & gas exporting countries are also started working on long-term plans to produce green hydrogen. 

India will become a major beneficiary of the new global energy trade in hydrogen and there is a possibility for India to develop itself as a net exporter of energy in the future. The downside to a budding global hydrogen economy is the fear of an era of energy colonisation. 

What is hydrogen?

Hydrogen is the lightest, simplest and most abundant chemical element in the universe. On earth, it occurs in almost limitless quantities as a constituent of water (H₂O) and in fossil fuels such as natural gas (CH₄) and in other organic matter. In its molecular form (H₂), it is a colourless, odourless, non-toxic, highly combustible gas.

How is hydrogen produced?

Hydrogen produced through spectrum of technics. Some of this produced by ’reforming’ natural gas, a process in which gas and water are reacted at high temperature to produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide.  Another process, electrolysis, produces hydrogen by passing an electric current through water. If renewable electricity is used, no carbon dioxide or other pollutants are produced and this is the best method for producing totally clean Green hydrogen. 

Green hydrogen is made by splitting hydrogen and oxygen in water with the help of electrolyser’s, powered by renewable electricity. The product can replace the use of hydrogen derived from some fossil fuels, in refineries and fertiliser plants. It has the potential to become an alternative to coal in steel mills and oil products in long-haul transport.

Is hydrogen dangerous?

Yes. Like all fuels, hydrogen gas is highly flammable and it can form explosive mixtures with air. In many ways, hydrogen is safer than petrol and diesel. The chance of forming explosive mixtures is limited by the fact that hydrogen is 14 times lighter than air. A gaseous hydrogen "spill" diffuses away so quickly that it escapes into space. It does not pool on the ground around the leak and it does not pollute the ground or groundwater. 

Hydrogen in vehicles is stored at high pressure in highly engineered cylinders which are extremely strong. Hydrogen can be transported across any distance either in its gaseous or liquid forms, or as a compound with other elements, ammonia or methanol, etc.