Need for diversified sources of green hydrogen highlighted

 

An article in the Business Line newspaper has highlighted the need for divesifying sources of production of green hydrogen. 

It speaks of the urgent need to look beyond electrolysis and biomass. It mentions microbial and nuclear routes for the production of green hydrogen, which have been completely ignored by the National Green Hydrogen Mission.

The article draws attention to the efforts of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), which is developing an 'Indian molten salt breeder reactor' and an 'Indian high temperature reactor', both of which are capable of producing green hydrogen at a low cost.

The article also laments the ignoring of 'white hydrogen' -- underground, pure elemental hydrogen that can be mined, like natural gas. India, like elsewhere, has lots of it.

Jefferies values Reliance's green hydrogen business at $ 8 billion, 20% discount to European benchmark

Global brokerage firm, Jefferies, has valued Reliance Industries Ltd's green hydrogen business at $ 8 billion. "We have valued RIL's electrolyzer manufacturing business at a 20 per cent discount to the European benchmark and added the cap value of its captive hydrogen consumption," Jefferies has said, in a recent report.

By this reckoning, the firm has arrived at a valuation of $ 8 billion for RIL's green hydrogen business. The green hydrogen business, Jefferies says, could be moved to an InVIT. This way, RIL would monetise its captive green hydrogen production and attract investors, the firm said.

In October 2021, RIL signed up with the Danish company, Stiesdal, for technology for manufacturing alkaline electrolyzers in India, but there have been no further announcements on any update, nor have the two companies responded to requests for updates.

Fluitron sets up first domestically-built hydrogen dispenser at Faridabad near Delhi

Fluitron LLC, an established developer and manufacturer of industrial-grade gas compression systems, has successfully completed the manufacturing, testing, installation and PESO (Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization) approval for the first domestically-built hydrogen dispenser in India. This project and its successful introduction is a significant milestone in acceleration of hydrogen technology development in India.

This dispenser, which is capable of filling tanks at 350 bar pressure, features two nozzles for light and heavy-duty vehicles and a third nozzle for the future addition of 700 bar hydrogen dispensing. It also integrates a cascading system and pre-cooling protocols specified through international codes and standards.

India currently relies heavily on coal and other fossil fuels for electricity generation. Combined with the fact that India is expected to be the world’s most populous country by 2030, an energy crisis is looming, notes a press release from the company. Hydrogen offers several advantages over traditional fuels when it comes to addressing the issue. It produces fewer emissions than fossil fuels while still providing a reliable source of power on demand. It is also relatively inexpensive when compared to other fuel sources like natural gas or nuclear power plants. In addition, it can be easily transported over long distances due to its low weight and high energy density. This makes it ideal for areas with limited infrastructure or access to energy sources.

“Hydrogen has the potential to revolutionize how India meets its growing energy needs while simultaneously promoting sustainability and reducing emissions,” said Tom Joseph, Vice President of Business Development at Fluitron LLC. “For more than a decade, Fluitron has provided customers with engineered, customized hydrogen technology solutions for energy storage and use in diverse markets. This investment in hydrogen technology helps ensure that India’s economy continues to grow while improving environmental quality and public health.”

Adani to bring in hydrogen powered mining truck of Ashok Leyland make with Ballard Power's PEM fuel cell

Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL), part of the diversified Adani portfolio of companies, today signed an agreement to launch a pilot project to develop a hydrogen fuel cell electric truck (FCET) for mining logistics and transportation with Ashok Leyland, India, and Ballard Power, Canada.

Essentially, it will be an Ashok Leyland truck with Ballard's PEM fuel cell.

The hydrogen powered mining truck will weigh 55 tons, have three hydrogen tanks, a 200-km working range, and powered by Ballard’s 120 kW PEM fuel cell technology.

This collaboration marks Asia’s first planned hydrogen powered mining truck. The demonstration project will be led by AEL, a company focused on both mining operations and developing green hydrogen projects for sourcing, transporting, and building out hydrogen refueling infrastructure. Ballard, an industry leading PEM fuel cell engine manufacturer, will supply the FCmove^TM fuel cell engine for the hydrogen truck and Ashok Leyland, one of the largest manufacturers of buses in the world, will provide the vehicle platform and technical support. The FCET is scheduled to be launched in India in 2023.

The Adani Group previously announced it plans to invest more than USD 50 billion over the next ten years in green hydrogen and associated ecosystems corresponding to a capacity of up to 3 million tons of green hydrogen annually.

Vinay Prakash, Director, Adani Enterprises Limited and CEO, Adani Natural Resources said, “This pioneering and ambitious green hydrogen project holds a strong promise for India’s future energy self-reliance and is consistent with the vision of Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, of accelerating the use of hydrogen-powered fuel cell technology in the commercial transport system. This experience of handling hydrogen as a fuel for commercial fleet not only prepones the advent of hydrogen technology for the mining and logistics sector in the country but will also enable other businesses to opt for long-term sustainable solutions transitioning fleets in ports, airports and in their industrial operations.” 

                                                                       Vinay Prakash

                                                       

“After signing an MoU with the Adani Group last year, we are eager to move our partnership forward and welcome the chance to cooperate with cutting-edge businesses like Adani,” said Randy MacEwen, CEO, Ballard Power Systems. “Our technology offers a strong value proposition for their heavy-duty mining truck with our zero emission engines providing long range, rapid refueling and heavy payload capabilities.”

“Ashok Leyland is excited to collaborate with Adani and Ballard to bring out fuel cell commercial vehicles in the mining and logistics sectors in India,” said Dr. N. Saravanan, CTO, Ashok Leyland. “With our track record of developing unique and new products, Ballard's technological expertise in fuel cells, and Adani’s unwavering dedication to hydrogen, there is a significant opportunity for India to decarbonize both goods and passenger transportation.”

 

Empowered Committee headed by Cabinet Secretary to guide implementation of Green Hydrogen Mission

The government will set up an empowered group headed by Cabinet Secretary for steering and guiding the implementation the National Green Hydrogen Mission, which aims to make India a global manufacturing hub the clean source of energy, reports Press Trust of India. The group will comprise Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, NITI Aayog CEO, and secretaries of various ministries besides departments of scientific and industrial research, promotion of industry and internal trade, and experts from the industry, according to the Mission Document.

The Union Cabinet on January 4 approved the mission with an outlay of Rs 19,744 crore to make India a global hub for the manufacturing of this clean source of energy, and development of a production capacity of at least 5 MMT (Million Metric Tonnes) per annum with an associated renewable energy capacity addition of about 125 GW in the country by 2030.

The effective implementation of the Mission requires strong coordination among various ministries and departments of central and state governments, industry, institutions, and other stakeholders.

A National Green Hydrogen Advisory Group comprising experts from academic and research institutions, industry, and civil society will also be constituted to advise the EG on all science and technology related matters pertaining to the Mission.

It will carry out technology gap analysis for various aspects of the value chain and accordingly define broad performance and cost targets based on global benchmarking.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) will be the nodal coordinating ministry for the Mission and will undertake the overarching policy formulation and programme implementation with an aim to scale up production of green hydrogen, green ammonia and other derivatives and enable cost reduction. The government has also identified several risk factors which will be dealt with timely action through necessary policy changes to make the National Green Hydrogen Mission a success, it said.

"The success in achieving the outcomes of this mission is dependent on several factors. It will require constant monitoring, indexing, and sufficient flexibility for mid-course corrections. The underlying governance framework will be tasked with risk identification, classification and timely-action through necessary policy changes," according to the mission document.

The mission seeks to minimise various risks through an appropriate mix of financial and non-financial levers, and review mechanisms. These will be monitored regularly by the mission secretariat through regular consultations with stakeholders.

"An indicative categorization and associated management/mitigation measures for the likely risks are detailed (mission in the document)," it said.

Oil marketing companies asked to submit green hydrogen roadmap in 15 days, says Minister Hardeep Puri

 India's petroleum minister, Hardeep Singh Puri, has said that he has directed the oil marketing companies (OMCs) to prepare a plan in the field of green hydrogen, which he said would be submitted to the Prime Minister's Office very soon.

The minister made the remarks while addressing reporters on the sidelines of '11th CII Bio-Energy Summit' in the national capital.

India has three large oil refining-cum-marketing companie--IOC, BPCL and HPCL. These, along with their subsidiaries are the primary suppliers of petroleum products to the country. There are also some private refiners such as Reliance and Shell.

"I have always been a staunch believer that the success of green hydrogen will come from the petroleum and natural gas (PNG) sector for a variety of reasons (like) you have refineries which will produce and consume green hydrogen for a variety of PNG functions," he said.

"I called my oil companies and said I want to be the first minister to submit to the PM (Narendra Modi) a plan on how these OMCs are going to deal with green hydrogen. I am very happy to announce that we will submit a plan very soon, " he said.

Indian govt to invite bids for green hydrogen manufacturing in May 2023

  India will by May invite bids for subsidies for setting up green-hydrogen manufacturing and utilisation hubs, fertiliser and steel plants based on the fuel, and factories for making electrolysers, says a report in Business Standard, sourced from Reuters.

The bidding process is part of a first phase of a $2 billion incentive plan announced last week to boost use of green hydrogen to cut emissions and make India a major exporter in the field.

Green hydrogen is hydrogen made with renewable energy. The plan aims at using it in fertiliser and steel production in place of hydrogen made with fossil fuels, blending it into urban gas supply gas and promoting its use in transportation.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy did not respond to a query sent by Reuters, the report says.

Establishing electrolyser factories and hubs for making and using green hydrogen could attract interest from such big companies such as Reliance Group and Adani Group, which have already committed billions of dollars to green-hydrogen activities. Electrolysers are devices for making hydrogen.

The government will call witin three to four months for competitive bids for establishing two green hydrogen hubs, two government sources, who did not want to be named, told Reuters.

In the same period it will seek bids for setting up two fertiliser plants using green hydrogen and green ammonia - ammonia made with green hydrogen - they said.

It will subsidise establshment of the activities proposed by the winning bidders, which will retain ownership.

The government intends to award contracts within a year, both sources said.

Other countries are working in this field, but high costs of transporting and storing hydrogen and of making electrolysers are key issues that need to be resolved

The plan, called the National Green Hydrogen Mission, aims at substituting all ammonia-based fertiliser imports with domestic fertilisers using green ammonia by 2034-35.

The government wants India to produce 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030.

Similarly, steel projects using 100% green hydrogen will be set up, according to two sources.

The hydrogen plan is to be implemented in phases. Up to 2025-26, sectors already using hydrogen will be converted to green hydrogen and low-cost electrolyser manufactuing will be set up.

In the second phase, between 2026-27 and 2029-30, production of commercial-scale green hydrogen in steel and mobility sectors will be explored, the two officials said.

The phase 1 projects will begin manufacturing in two years, the two officials said.