7 Feb 2023
Green hydrogen has become an attractive option for India as the country looks to establish itself as a global manufacturing hub in the renewable energy sector.
Major industrial companies like Reliance, Adani, and Larsen & Toubro have committed to the Green Hydrogen Mission and are investing in the development of green hydrogen infrastructure.
However, India faces challenges as it competes with countries that have already established advanced green hydrogen infrastructure. According to a report by the Hydrogen Council, China currently leads in the deployment of electrolyzers with 200 megawatts, while Europe holds the largest share of proposed investments in the sector, accounting for around 30% of the total.
There are also concerns regarding safety, cost of production, and retrofitting existing systems to accommodate the use of green hydrogen and set up the green hydrogen infrastructure. Hydrogen can be highly flammable when not in its pure form, which can pose challenges for its end-use applications in India.
Despite the challenges, there are optimists in the green hydrogen sector who believe in the potential for growth and development in India. Siddharth Mayur, CEO of H2E Power Systems, a Pune-based renewable energy company, is one of them. He believes that smaller companies like his, driven by a motivation to scale up clean energy, can collaborate with larger companies that bring in the funding and attention needed to propel the industry forward. Mayur believes that building India's green hydrogen infrastructure will require collaboration between all players in the business. Despite the challenges, he is confident that things are moving in the right direction and that the outlook for green hydrogen in India is positive.
In conclusion, India's ambitions to become a global manufacturing hub of green hydrogen face challenges in terms of competing with advanced countries and concerns regarding safety, cost of production, and retrofitting existing systems. However, the country's commitment to the Green Hydrogen Mission and the collaboration between smaller and larger companies in the sector hold promise for the future of green hydrogen infrastructure in India.