"To achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, India must invest in green hydrogen production infrastructure. This includes scaling up renewable energy sources for electrolysis, developing storage and distribution networks, and fostering public-private partnerships to drive innovation and cost reduction," Professor Ganapati Myneni, Member of the Board of Directors, International Symposium on Hydrogen in Matter (ISOHIM), and Director, India Nuclear Energy Partnership, told ET.
Myneni also said that the government should invest aggressively in in R&D to improve hydrogen technologies and reduce costs, and allow suitable policies and incentives to attract investments and foster collaboration between public and private sectors.
Last year, India unveiled a target of energy independence by 2047 and a net-zero by 2070.
Green hydrogen, according to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, is expected to play a "substantial role" in achieving the Centre's ambitious objective.
Through the process of electrolysis, green hydrogen is derived by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity generated from renewable sources like solar, wind, or hydropower. The process eventually produces a clean and emission-free fuel that has a potential to replace fossil fuels and reduce carbon emissions.
The policy initiatives, he said, would not only enhance India's energy security but also contribute to global efforts in reducing carbon emissions, positioning India as a leader in sustainable energy technologies.
India, according to him, holds the largest thorium reserves globally, making it uniquely positioned to lead in thorium-based molten salt reactor (MSR) technology. "The government should prioritise funding and policy support for R&D in this area to achieve energy independence and become a global technology provider."
Lately, India is actively pursuing hydrogen, as part of its energy transition strategy, and in 2021, launched the National Hydrogen Mission in order to position itself as a global hub for hydrogen production and export.
Presently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is focussing on developing green hydrogen production capabilities using its abundant renewable energy resources.
In the Union Budget 2024-25, the Centre has increased the monetary allocation for the National Green Hydrogen Mission to INR 600 crore.
The increased allocation for the National Green Hydrogen Mission, Myneni said, reflects the government's commitment to transitioning to a sustainable energy future, and added that the funding would accelerate the rollout of hydrogen fuel-centric initiatives and infrastructure, attract investments, enhance R&D and foster innovation.
"By strategically investing in hydrogen, India positions itself as a leader in the global energy transition, aligning with its broader vision of achieving a developed nation status by 2047."
India aims to become a global hub for production, usage and export of green hydrogen and its derivatives, contributing to India’s aim to become Aatmanirbhar (self-reliant) through clean energy, and assume technology and market leadership in the nascent sector.
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