NATIONAL HYDROGEN ENERGY MISSION

NATIONAL HYDROGEN ENERGY MISSION

Subject : Environment

Context : India will soon join 15 other countries in the hydrogen club as it prepares to launch the National Hydrogen Energy Mission (NHEM)

Concept :

National Hydrogen Energy Mission

• This mission will emphasise hydrogen from clean sources.
• It also envisages linking the country’s growing renewable energy capacity with the hydrogen economy.
• India’s target for 2022 for renewable energy generation is 175 GW and this mission is expected to bolster the process.

The renewable energy target for 2030 is 450 GW.

The country has set to decarbonise by 2050.

• Using hydrogen will serve the twin purposes of achieving India’s emission commitments under the Paris Agreement and reducing the import dependence on fossil fuels.
• The end-users of hydrogen energy are the transportation sector, chemical industry and steel sector.
• These sectors contribute to 1/3rd of all greenhouse gas emissions because of their using fossil fuels.
• Replacing fossil fuels with hydrogen in these sectors will help reduce GHGs in a big way.

Hydrogen:

• Hydrogen is the lightest and first element on the periodic table. Since the weight of hydrogen is less than air, it rises in the atmosphere and is therefore rarely found in its pure form, H2.
• At standard temperature and pressure, hydrogen is a nontoxic, nonmetallic, odorless, tasteless, colorless, and highly combustible diatomic gas.
• Hydrogen fuel is a zero-emission fuel burned with oxygen. It can be used in fuel cells or internal combustion engines. It is also used as a fuel for spacecraft propulsion.

Type of Hydrogen:

Grey Hydrogen:

• Constitutes India’s bulk Production.
• Extracted from hydrocarbons (fossil fuels, natural gas).
• By product: CO2

Blue Hydrogen:

• Sourced from fossil fuels.
• By product: CO, CO2
• By products are Captured and Stored, so better than gey hydrogen.

Green Hydrogen:

• Generated from renewable energy (like Solar, Wind).
• Electricity splits water into hydrogen and oxygen.
• By Products : Water, Water Vapor