What’s so green about the government's Green Hydrogen Mission?

How will NGHM make India the global hub for green hydrogen fuel? What is so green about green hydrogen? Why is it better than others?

It was not a mere promise but a vision with a plan when Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Independence Day in 2021, announced the National Green Hydrogen Mission. Within six months of the announcement, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the NGHM with an initial outlay of Rs 19,744 crore, a move aimed at making India the global hub for the production of green hydrogen.

This one move has the potential to lower the country's dependence on imported fossil fuels, increase India's export opportunities for green hydrogen and slowly decarbonize various sectors and replace fossil fuel dependence.

Why hydrogen is important as a future fuel option

Hydrogen is the lightest element in the universe and is present in abundance. So on paper, hydrogen fuel is the easiest go-to fuel and can be found aplenty. However, there is a problem. Hydrogen rarely exists alone and is most commonly and easily available in water in combination with oxygen. Hydrogen can be extracted from water by an electrical process called electrolysis using an electrolyser that is powered entirely by renewable energy.

The traditional resources like coal and natural gas for generating heat and to generate electricity leave behind carbon dioxide which is leading to climate change. Hydrogen, on the other hand, does not have any residual carbon on burning.

Hydrogen can be used to power vehicles, generate electricity, power industry and heat our homes. It can make a huge difference on carbon emissions and can play a key role in achieving net zero. The biggest challenge for the world right now is that though hydrogen itself is a clean molecule, the process of extracting it consumes a lot of energy.

What's so green about 'green hydrogen'?

Hydrogen, depending on the way it is produced, is labelled by a colour. So while 'Grey' hydrogen is made from fossil fuels, 'Blue' hydrogen also made from fossil fuels captures and stores the carbon dioxide. 'Green' hydrogen is produced by water electrolysis and produces pure hydrogen with no harmful by-products.

Another advantage of green hydrogen is that since the method uses electricity, it offers the potential to divert any excess electricity to create hydrogen gas that can be stored for future energy needs.

Where's the world on green hydrogen?

Ever since the spiraling oil price shook the world in the 1970s, there have been works and ideas around replacing fossil fuels with hydrogen. In fact three of leading car makers from around the world - Japan's Honda and Toyota, and South Korea's Hyundai - have since moved to the new fuel on a small scale.

According to a report, there are altogether 96 public hydrogen refueling stations while Germany has 80 and the United States is third in the list with 42 such stations. The US and the EU have already pledged incentives worth several billion of dollars for green hydrogen projects. India's Mission was first announced by the PM in his Independence Day speech in 2021.