[Answered] India’s recent discoveries of natural hydrogen deposits offer a promising avenue for clean energy production. Discuss the potential benefits and challenges associated with harnessing natural hydrogen in the Indian context. What policy measures and technological advancements are needed to effectively tap this resource and integrate it into India’s energy mix, while ensuring environmental sustainability?

Introduction

The recent identification of natural hydrogen reserves, including findings in the Andaman Islands, opens a new frontier in India’s quest for clean, affordable, and secure energy. As hydrogen is a key pillar of the government’s National Green Hydrogen Mission (2023), the discovery of naturally occurring hydrogen—also called “white hydrogen”—can significantly accelerate India’s decarbonization efforts and reduce dependency on imported fossil fuels.

Potential Benefits

1. Energy Independence: India’s hydrogen demand is expected to rise from 6 million tonnes in 2020 to over 50 million tonnes by 2070. Natural hydrogen offers a domestic, potentially cheaper, and cleaner alternative to manufactured hydrogen (green, blue, or grey).
2. Lower Carbon Footprint: Unlike grey or blue hydrogen, natural hydrogen extraction involves no CO₂ emissions, making it a highly sustainable energy source.
3. Cost-Effectiveness: Preliminary estimates suggest that natural hydrogen could be cheaper than manufactured hydrogen due to the elimination of electrolysis or reforming processes, reducing both capital and operating costs.
4. Economic Opportunities: A vibrant natural hydrogen sector could boost domestic exploration, create green jobs, and position India as a global clean energy leader.

Challenges

1. Exploration Complexity: Locating and quantifying natural hydrogen deposits is technologically challenging. Unlike hydrocarbons, standard exploration tools are still being developed.
2. Extraction Safety: Hydrogen’s high reactivity and diffusivity pose safety risks, requiring specialized materials (e.g., hydrogen-resistant alloys, rubber fillers) and engineering protocols.
3. Infrastructure Gaps: India’s current energy infrastructure, including pipelines and storage systems, is not fully compatible with hydrogen without significant retrofitting and safety studies.
4. High Initial Investment: While operational costs may be lower, exploration, drilling, and storage infrastructure demand substantial upfront capital.

Policy Measures Needed

1. Geological Survey and Mapping: Similar to the Solar Radiation Resource Assessment (SRRA), a national-level Natural Hydrogen Resource Mapping Programme should be launched using magnetotelluric and geophysical methods.
2. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): Incentivize joint R&D and exploration through collaboration between academia, public agencies (like the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons), and private firms.
3. Regulatory Framework: Establish clear guidelines for licensing, exploration, safety, and environmental impact assessment. An independent regulatory body could oversee hydrogen resource management.
4. Green Financing Mechanisms: Mobilize domestic and international climate finance, including grants, viability gap funding, and sovereign green bonds to support exploration and infrastructure development.

Technological Advancements Required

1. Advanced Extraction Techniques: Explore techniques like water injection into iron-rich rocks (as funded by the U.S. ARPA-E) for in-situ hydrogen generation with concurrent carbon sequestration.
2. Material Innovation: Invest in research on corrosion-resistant materials and cement additives to enable safe and long-term hydrogen containment.
3. Hydrogen-Compatible Infrastructure: Retrofit existing natural gas pipelines and build new hydrogen-ready pipelines and storage caverns, especially in high-potential areas.

Conclusion

Natural hydrogen represents a transformative opportunity for India’s clean energy ambitions. With strategic investment in exploration, regulation, and technology—aligned with initiatives like the National Green Hydrogen Mission, Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME), and India’s Net-Zero Target by 2070—India can integrate this resource into its energy mix, ensuring long-term sustainability, energy sovereignty, and economic resilience.