{"id":340676,"date":"2025-06-17T17:20:53","date_gmt":"2025-06-17T11:50:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/?p=340676"},"modified":"2025-06-19T19:35:09","modified_gmt":"2025-06-19T14:05:09","slug":"india-needs-phased-strategy-to-promote-hydrogen-as-fuel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/india-needs-phased-strategy-to-promote-hydrogen-as-fuel\/","title":{"rendered":"India needs phased strategy to promote hydrogen as fuel"},"content":{"rendered":"

Source<\/strong>: The post India needs phased strategy to promote hydrogen as fuel has been created, based on the article \u201cHydrogen fuel:<\/strong> Move slowly from grey to green<\/strong>\u201d published in \u201cBusinessline<\/strong>\u201d on 17 June 2025.<\/p>\n

\"India<\/p>\n

UPSC Syllabus Topic:<\/strong> GS Paper3- Infrastructure-Energy<\/p>\n

Context<\/strong>: India\u2019s National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) aims to make the country a global hydrogen leader, starting with green hydrogen. However, the high production cost and lack of domestic demand pose serious challenges. A recent study suggests a phased, multi-colour approach to overcome these hurdles, especially in the transport sector.<\/p>\n

For detailed information on India<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong>s Path to Overcome Green Hydrogen Challenges<\/strong> read this article here <\/a><\/p>\n

Pricing and Demand Challenges<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. High Cost of Green Hydrogen: <\/strong>Green hydrogen is currently priced at \u20b9397\/kg, as per Indian Oil Corporation\u2019s tender, with final costs exceeding \u20b9450\/kg after supply and distribution. This makes it economically unviable compared to conventional fuels.<\/li>\n
  2. Lack of Domestic Demand: <\/strong>Despite policy mandates, domestic demand for green hydrogen is limited. Most producers are focusing on exports of green derivatives like ammonia and methanol, which face better global offtake prospects.<\/li>\n
  3. Imbalance Between Supply and Demand: <\/strong>The study highlights a pressing mismatch between supply capabilities and actual consumption within India. Export-led strategies are insufficient to build a self-sustaining hydrogen economy.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Importance of Hydrogen in Mobility<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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    1. Transformational Role in Transport: <\/strong>Hydrogen, especially in Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), offers high energy output with minimal emissions. Its potential in decarbonizing mobility is significant but underexplored in India.<\/li>\n
    2. Diverse Production Sources<\/strong>: <\/strong>Hydrogen can be generated from fossil fuels or renewables. Its versatility allows for broader applications across different transport technologies, supporting a shift to cleaner energy.<\/li>\n
    3. Slow Domestic Progress: <\/strong>India\u2019s mobility transition using hydrogen remains slow due to unclear global demand for green derivatives and lack of domestic incentives or infrastructure for hydrogen-powered transport.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Exploring Grey, Blue, and Green Hydrogen<\/strong><\/h2>\n
        \n
      1. Grey Hydrogen as a Starting Point: <\/strong>Grey hydrogen, produced from natural gas via steam reforming, is widely available and cheaper at \u20b9175\u2013200\/kg. It could be sold at \u20b9250\/kg, offering a practical short-term solution.<\/li>\n
      2. Blue Hydrogen as a Medium-Term Strategy: <\/strong>Blue hydrogen involves carbon capture and storage (CCS) during production. It delivers substantial emission reductions and fits well with existing industrial infrastructure.<\/li>\n
      3. Green Hydrogen as a Long-Term Goal: <\/strong>Green hydrogen, produced via electrolysis using renewable energy, should be reserved for high-impact use cases such as public transport, export hubs, and urban corridors due to its current high cost.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Proposed Phased Approach for India<\/strong><\/h2>\n
          \n
        1. Multi-Colour Hydrogen Strategy:,<\/strong>The study urges India to adopt a step-by-step transition: start with grey for immediate needs, shift to blue for scalable adoption, and ultimately aim for green hydrogen in targeted sectors.<\/li>\n
        2. Applications in Pilot Projects: <\/strong>Grey hydrogen can be deployed in retrofitted hydrogen ICE trucks and pilot mobility programs to build demand and familiarity.<\/li>\n
        3. Strategic Use of Green Hydrogen: <\/strong>Green hydrogen should be used selectively while building electrolyzer capacity and increasing renewable integration to reduce its cost over time.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Infrastructure and Policy Roadmap<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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          1. Need for Refuelling Ecosystem: <\/strong>Creating hydrogen refuelling infrastructure is critical for making hydrogen mainstream in daily transport use.<\/li>\n
          2. Five-Pronged Refuelling Strategy<\/strong>
            \nThe study suggests:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n