On India’s 75th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the launch of the National Hydrogen Mission (NHM). He said that his government’s aim is to make India a global hub for the production and export of green hydrogen.
Increasing concerns over the issue of climate change and the potential of hydrogen as a game changer in the energy arena may become driving efforts by nations to induct hydrogen to achieve the target of becoming a low-carbon economy. The National Hydrogen Mission was proposed in the 2021 Budget with the aim to enable the generation of hydrogen “from green power sources”. It is said to be helpful in controlling emissions and slowing global warming. PM Modi also took a pledge to make India energy independent before completing 100 years of independence. Apart from transportation, hydrogen can be a “decarbonising agent” for industries like chemicals, iron, steel, fertiliser and refining, transport, heat and power. The Indian government is aiming to produce ‘green’ hydrogen, which is mostly produced from clean energy sources like renewables. The ‘green’ hydrogen is released via electrolysis of energy from renewable sources. The hydrogen produced from this method gives rise to no CO2 emissions, is expensive and not commercially viable yet.
