Hydrogen fueled vehicles on roads by 2020

New Delhi, Jun 4 (UNI) Hydrogen fueled vehicles will be on Indian roads by 2020.

Aggregate hydrogen based power generating capacity of 1000 MW would also be set up by that time.

Informing this here today, Minister of State for the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Vilas Muttemwar said the Ministry had taken an initiative in 2003 under which about 1 million hydrogen fuel vehicles, about 75 per cent of which were expected to be two and three wheelers, would be plying on the roads by 2020.

The Ministry had in 2003 created a National Hydrogen Energy Board which had set up a Steering Group under the Chairmanship of industrialist Ratan Tata to prepare a National Hydrogen Road Map which lays down the pathway for the development of Hydrogen energy infrastructure in the country, he said.

Giving a Presidential address in the conclave on National Hydrogen Energy Road Map : Opportunities for Public Private Partnership (PPP), Mr Muttemwar said the Ministry was confident of achieving the target of generating over ten per cent of the total installed power generating capacity in the country by 2012 from renewable sources.

The Minister pointed out that about 10 lakh solar photovoltaic systems were being used for domestic lighting purposes.

Today India has largest programmes on renewable energy technologies in the world. The total power generating capacity in the country as of March 2007 was about 1,33,000 MW. Renewable power generating capacity is about 10,252 MW, which contributes 7.75 per cent of the installed power generating capacity.

Among renewable power technologies the major contributions are from Wind Power (7092 MW) Small Hydro Power (1976 MW), Bio Energy (1187 MW) and 155 MW of grid distributed renewable power, he said.

''Our Ministry has been appointed as the nodal Ministry for the overall coordination of the National Bio Fuel Programme. Bio Fuels provide short term answer to alleviate the problem of climate change, the long term answer has been recognised the world over to come from hydrogen which is being called the free fuel for future,'' he said.

Dr R Chidambaram, Principal Scientific Advisor, Government of India, in his special address said hydrogen was a source of clean energy.

Apart from water, distillery waste bagasse and others can be used to produce hydrogen fuel.

Mr Ratan Tata, Chairman Tata Group and Chairman Steering Group, NHEB, Tata said hydrogen fuel will be alternative to fossil fuel on which national economy can be built.

He said hydrogen may remain illusive for long because there were challenges to generate, store and deliver it. ''India has enormous strength of scientists and manpower and I am confident that if not us, our future generation will definitely have clear fuel.'' Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Dy Chairman, Planning Commission, in his inaugural address said clean fuel like hydrogen would be a great help in reducing carbon reduce emission.

''The Ministry is looking for new energy which has high potential.

We should develop more technologies and put efforts in more research,'' he added.

UNI