Energetica India Magazine March 2022

energetica INDIA- Mar_2022 25 RENEWABLE POWER earth as a standalone molecule – it likes to bond with others. Therefore, to yield pure hydrogen, we must intentionally separate it from its pair, usually in the form of water (H 2 O), or hydrocarbons (e.g., CH 4 , methane). Today, hydrogen production from the electrolysis of wa- ter is growing across the globe. Costs of electrolysers have been a concern, how- ever, a recent TERI report estimates that by 2030, green hydrogen will be- come increasingly competitive, coincid- ing with a decline in electrolyser costs from ` 6.3 crore/MW today to ` 2.8 crore/ MW. A tricky aspect with green hydrogen production is that you tend to consume more electricity to produce the hydro- gen through electrolysis than you gener- ate from the combined-cycle gas power plant. For this to make sense, we would ideally need a surplus of renewable en- ergy that can be dedicated to hydrogen production. Otherwise, it is more effi - cient to just use electricity directly from renewables. However, when the goal is to store excess renewable energy power for extended periods, hydrogen could be dispatched to compensate for lean peri- ods. Overall, a combination of hydrogen and gas will catalyse the transition to complete utilisation of zero-carbon fuel. For a cleaner and greener India India’s path towards a carbon-free 2070 is well underway. There is great prom- ise and expectations as we move ahead. In fact, a report recently said that In- dia has immense potential to emerge as the Middle East of green hydrogen and the recently-announced green hydrogen policy has set the precedent. Indeed, the new policy has correctly adopted a wide perspective to ease green hydrogen man- ufacturing, transportation, storage, and distribution. Further, the single portal project clearance with a 30-day timeline will help attract fresh investors who can bring new technology to the country. Eventually, though, we may have to further segregate our policy, as differ- ent sectors may require varying models and policy frameworks – and hydrogen comes with the complementing versa- tility to play an equally important role in diverse sectors such as transport, residential, industrial, power, etc. Also, hydrogen is difficult to store because of its extremely low volumetric densi- ty. It is the simplest, lightest, and most abundant element in the universe; but it is also extremely flammable. All these qualities combine to make its logistics and transportation rather complicated. Nonetheless, for a clean energy future, green hydrogen will emerge as a front- runner. Its diverse application and use across industries, efficiency in con - trolling pollutants, and innate energy capacity will find many consumers – especially as we battle climate change through complete transition. For India, a country of over 1.32 billion people, the complete adoption of green hydro- gen across industries and sectors will take time. Nonetheless, we must begin tracing our steps at the earliest. India has made a confident leap with its green hydrogen policy, and it must now sustain this momentum to take its peo- ple towards a clean, green, and secure future.