Experts demand subsidy for hydrogen energy, fuel cell technologies

New Delhi, June 5 (UNI) The National Conclave on Hydrogen Energy organised here has urged the government to give heavy subsidy for developing the market for products making use of hydrogen energy and also for fuel cell technologies.

It has also recommended for setting up a National Hydrogen Energy and Fuel Cell Centre at Gwalpahari in Gurgaon for research and development (R&D) in the field, Minister for Renewable Energy Vilas Muttemwar told mediapersons here while briefing about the decisions taken at the hydrogen meet.

He said the participants, who included eminent persons from the field of science and technology and industry, called for investing heavily in the research for developing cost-effective technology for producing hydrogen energy and fuel cell technologies.

They wanted the government and industry to work together in the field and develop business models for niche applications of hydrogen energy, said the Minister.

The conclave recommended that the focus of R&D should be on production of hydrogen through renewable methods and for cost reduction.

Hydrogen is presently produced mostly from the natural gas, coal and oil and electrolysis of water. The present cost of hydrogen delivered to end users is about Rs 240 per kg, but the cost needs to be reduced by a factor of three to four for making hydrogen a viable option.

The production of hydrogen through solar energy is the most promising route.

Mr Muttemwar said as per the recommendations, the focus in the initial stage should be through combustion route in IC engine technology for stationary power development.

The conclave also recommended that development of standards, codes and safety norms for hydrogen should be taken up on a priority basis.

The Minister said India was pacing with develped nations of the world in the development of hydrogen energy, a technology which is a very recent one.

''Maximum use of renewable energy was the only way to cut greenhouse gases emissions and arrest global warming leading to climate change. We are happy that India was today number two in the world in producing power from renewable sources of energy,'' he said.

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.

He said 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.

The Road Map was now under consideration of the Government.

UNI