India has potential to become energy exporter by producing green hydrogen: Jitendra Singh

PTI, Sep 3, 2021, 5:37 PM IST

New Delhi: By producing green hydrogen on a large scale and taking advantage of its geographical location, India has the potential to transform itself from a net importer of fossil fuel to an exporter of clean energy, Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh said on Friday.

Addressing the ‘International Climate Summit 2021 – Powering India’s Hydrogen Ecosystem’, Singh said India has a large proportion of the world’s population and unless it participates in the mission for clean climate, the world would not be able to see optimum results.

He said there is a huge requirement of clean fuel and green hydrogen across the world, and India has the potential to step in to fulfil the requirement of the rest of the world as well.

”By producing green hydrogen on (a large) scale and taking advantage of the geographical location that India enjoys, we have the potential to transform from (being a) net energy importer to a clean energy exporter,” Singh said.

He said it is necessary to ensure economic viability of green hydrogen technology and assured all stakeholders of government support.

Referring to the National Hydrogen Mission announced by Prime minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day speech, Singh said this reflects India’s commitment to working in mitigating climate change.

He said the problem of climate change cannot be resolved unless India reduces its emissions and that the country has taken several initiatives in the area of clean energy.

He said in the last seven years, India, under the leadership of PM Modi, has assumed a leading role in the campaign for a clean climate.

”The problem of climate change in the world cannot be resolved unless India reduces its emissions. For India, it is not only a mission but it is also a responsibility — to not only its own countrymen but also to mankind as a whole, Singh said.

Referring to the clean climate mission and green hydrogen, Singh said India also has the responsibility and that the entire world is also looking up to it as a country which can play a frontline role in the community of world leaders.

”With a huge population we have, we comprise a large proportion of the world population and therefore unless India participates in the mission for clean climate, the world would not be able to see the optimum results,” he said.

Singh said as far as India is concerned, its energy demand is increasing exponentially with each passing day.

He said 90 per cent of India’s energy demand is met by imported fossil fuel. Therefore, the problem of climate change in the world cannot be resolved unless India reduces its emissions. He said India’s share of renewable energy is also going up each day and it is expected to be 50 per cent by 2030. Its tariff from renewable energy is less than Rs 2 which is already one of the lowest in the world.

Despite this, renewable energy can help in the reduction of only 45 per cent to 50 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions, he said.

And therein comes in the role of hydrogen. Green hydrogen can also be produced by using solar energy to split water in electrolyser with oxygen as the only by-product, he said. ”The abundance of solar radiation and water in India is an advantage which implies that green hydrogen can help India to become self-reliant. At the same time, it ensures our commitment to mitigate climate change and fulfil our responsibility towards the rest of the world, he said. In another session at the summit, Principal Scientific Advisor to the government K VijayRaghavan said India wants to be a leader in the area of clean energy. Also, this will also help reduce its emissions and cut down on fuel imports.

He pointed out that if electrolysis and renewable power are to be used for green hydrogen, then both of these have to be economical. New technologies are very important to bring down the cost and environmental by-products associated with it, he said.

VijayRaghavan added that green hydrogen will revolutionise India’s international collaboration in many sectors.