In a bid to develop an ecosystem that can help commercialize green hydrogen, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has unveiled a ₹4 billion (~$48.12 million) Research and Development (R&D) Roadmap for the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
The R&D roadmap aims to advance fresh materials, technologies, and infrastructure to enhance the efficiency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of green hydrogen production, storage, and transportation. It also seeks to prioritize safety and tackle technical obstacles and hurdles in establishing a hydrogen-based economy.
In July this year, MNRE had prepared a draft R&D roadmap outlining the priorities for manufacturing and storing green hydrogen.
On the eve of World Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day, the government also unveiled the Green Hydrogen page on ‘The National Single Window System,’ offering a unified platform for industries to secure all approvals pertaining to projects under the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
During the event, Ajay Yadav, Joint Secretary of MNRE, said pilot green hydrogen projects are already underway in the steel, shipping, and road transport sectors.
Ajay Kumar Sood, the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, said the initial phase will concentrate on mission-driven projects designed to produce results within two to three years.
He also emphasized the urgent requirement to establish standards for Type IV hydrogen storage cylinders. While India adheres to Type III cylinder standards, the global standard is for Type IV cylinders. Type IV cylinders have the potential to significantly increase mileage threefold and reduce filling time to about one-tenth of the current duration.
In June this year, MNRE had released a framework document outlining incentive programs for the manufacturing of electrolyzers and the production of green hydrogen within the country, with a combined financial outlay of ₹174.9 billion (~$2.1 billion).
Recently, at a conference on clean energy, Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy R. K. Singh noted that the future of round-the-clock renewable energy could be remarkably affordable, costing just about ₹6 (~$0.07)/kWh when utilizing green hydrogen for storage.
The R&D Roadmap will focus on developing new materials and technologies for green hydrogen production, storage, and transportation. It will also focus on improving the efficiency and reliability of existing technologies.
Green hydrogen has the potential to play a major role in India’s energy transition. It can help to reduce India’s reliance on fossil fuels and achieve its climate goals.
Green hydrogen can also be used to create jobs and boost the economy. The development of the green hydrogen industry will require a wide range of skills and expertise, and it is expected to create new jobs in areas such as engineering, construction, and manufacturing.
