National Hydrogen Mission

In News

Recently the Prime Minister of India announced the launch of the National Hydrogen Mission on India’s 75th Independence Day.

About Mission National Hydrogen Mission

• It was proposed in the Union Budget 2021.
• The government’s aim is to make India a global hub for the production and export of green hydrogen.

• Green hydrogen energy is vital for India to meet its Nationally Determined Contributions.
  • It is a clean-burning molecule, which can decarbonise a range of sectors including iron and steel, chemicals, and transportation.
• The initiative has the potential of transforming transportation.

Major Activities to be carried out under the Mission

• Creating volumes and infrastructure
• Demonstrations in niche applications 
• Goal-oriented Research & Development
• Facilitative policy support
• A robust framework for standards and regulations for hydrogen technologies

Need and Significance of the Mission

• Clean and More Efficient
  • Hydrogen is the lightest element and produces water on combustion.
  • It is about 2-3 times more efficient than burning petrol.
• Transportation Sector Transformation
  • The transportation sector is one of the most polluting industries.
    • It contributes nearly 1/3rd of all greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Hydrogen fuel cell cars have a near-zero carbon footprint.
    • Thus, it can help India in achieving its emission goals under the Paris Agreement
  • Hydrogen Fuel cells are better than Battery electric vehicles.
    • They enable a refuelling time of just 5 minutes, compared to 30-45 minutes of charging for a Battery operated Electric Vehicle.
  • Also, cars get better energy storage per unit volume and weight, freeing up a lot of space for other things.
  • It is also effective for sectors that cannot be electrified like shipping and air travel.
• Storage option for Solar and Wind Energy
  • Renewable energy that cannot be stored or used by the grid can be channelled to produce hydrogen.
• Encountering Chinese Hegemony in Rare Earth Mineral
  • Hydrogen Fuel has the potential to reduce India’s demand for rare earth minerals used in the manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles.
• Energy from Waste
  • Bio and plastic waste can be converted into hydrogen. 
    • It will help to combat twin problems of waste management and energy security.
• Reducing India’s Current Account Deficit (CAD) 
  • India imports 85% of its oil and 53% of its gas demand. 
  • Green hydrogen has the potential to reduce import dependency on fossil fuels.
• Addressing uncertainty in global energy markets 
  • Due to instability in the Gulf Region, there is often a  spike in crude oil prices impacting Indian Energy security.

What is Hydrogen Fuel?

• Hydrogen fuel is a zero-emission fuel burned with oxygen. 
  • It can be used in fuel cells or internal combustion engines. 
  • It is also used as a fuel for spacecraft propulsion.
• It can be manufactured by 
  • Electrolysis of water by using direct current.
  • Natural Gas Reforming/Gasification: 
    • Natural Gas on reaction with steam produces Synthesis gas.
    • Synthetic gas is a mixture of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and a small amount of carbon dioxide.
  • Fermentation: Biomass is converted into sugar-rich feedstocks that can be fermented to produce hydrogen.
• It is then stored after mixing or converting to ammonia or synthetic gas for easy liquefaction and transport.

Types of Hydrogen Fuel

• Grey Hydrogen: 
  • Manufactured using Natural Gas without carbon sequestration
• Brown Hydrogen: 
  • Manufactured using Coal without carbon sequestration.
• Blue Hydrogen: 
  • Manufactured using Natural Gas with carbon sequestration.
• Green Hydrogen: 
  • Manufactured using Renewable Energy.

Instances of Usage 

• Globally
  • Hydrogen’s potential as a clean fuel source has a history spanning nearly 150 years.
    • In 1937, the German passenger airship LZ129 Hindenburg used hydrogen fuel to fly across the Atlantic.
    • In the late 1960s, hydrogen fuel cells helped power NASA’s Apollo missions to the moon.
    • South Korea and Japan are focused on moving their automotive markets to hydrogen, and the potential of the fuel cell.
      • In 2017, Japan formulated the Basic Hydrogen Strategy.
      • It sets out the country’s action plan by 2030, including the establishment of an international supply chain.
      • South Korea launched its Hydrogen Economy Development and Safe Management of Hydrogen Act, 2020.

• Indian Scenario-
  • Delhi is the first Indian city to operate buses running on hydrogen spiked compressed natural gas (H-CNG).

• H-CNG is 18% hydrogen in CNG, produced directly from natural gas, without resorting to conventional blending. 

• NTPC Ltd is operating a pilot to run 10 hydrogen fuel cell-based electric buses and fuel cell electric cars in Leh and Delhi. 
  • It is also considering setting up a green hydrogen production facility in Andhra Pradesh. 
• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) issued a notification proposing amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.
  • It includes safety evaluation standards for hydrogen fuel cell-based vehicles.
  • It will act as a supporting regulatory framework.

Challenges in harnessing Hydrogen Economy

• Infrastructural Issues : 
  • A big barrier to the adoption of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles has been a lack of fuelling station infrastructure.
  • There are fewer than 500 operational hydrogen stations in the world today, mostly in Europe, followed by Japan and South Korea.
• Energy-intensive process of Hydrogen generation
  • The energy needed to produce green hydrogen is relatively higher.
  • As the technology is in a naive state and the energy requirement for splitting water or Methane is high, it is costly at present.
• High R&D requirement
  • The newer technology demands higher research input for making the process cheap and scalable.
• Multiple regulatory authorities: 
  • Red tapism happens due to the involvement of multiple ministries and the lack of coordination between them.

• Transportation of hydrogen: 

• Hydrogen in gaseous form is highly inflammable and difficult to transport. Safety is seen as a concern

• Difficulty in Detection  :

• Hydrogen lacks smell, which makes any leak detection almost impossible thus increasing the potential dangers.

Way Forward

• There is a need to reduce electrolyser costs and supply chain logistics.
  • This will require funding.
• Policymakers should also consider how to create legislative frameworks that facilitate the integration of the hydrogen-based sector.
• Public investments need to be strategized and channelised well.

Source: IE