Union Minister projects ₹1 Lakh crore reduction in Imported fossil fuels

The Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy and Power, R K Singh, recently disclosed that the National Green Hydrogen Mission is anticipated to foster the development of a significant 5 MMT (million metric tons) Green Hydrogen production capacity annually by 2030. This initiative holds immense potential to replace conventional fossil fuels, including natural gas, both as an energy source and feedstock, thereby reducing the nation’s reliance on imported fossil fuels.

The mission aims to substitute Grey Hydrogen with Green Hydrogen across various industries such as fertilizer production, petroleum refining, steel, shipping, and more. This strategic shift is poised to curtail carbon emissions and decrease dependence on imported fossil fuels, resulting in an estimated reduction in imports valued at ₹1 lakh crore by 2030.

Key strategies and initiatives under the mission include fostering domestic demand, implementing the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) program, incentivizing electrolyzer manufacturing, supporting green hydrogen production, and initiating pilot projects spanning sectors like green steel, mobility, shipping, and decentralized energy applications.

To meet the substantial water demand for green hydrogen production through electrolysis, the mission anticipates a requirement of about 50 million cubic meters of demineralized water annually for a targeted 5 MMT Green Hydrogen production capacity.

Given industry feedback, it is anticipated that a majority of Green Hydrogen production plants will be situated near port locations, where desalinized sea water could be employed in the production process. Compliance with state regulations for water supply is imperative due to the decentralized nature of water governance, being a state subject. Shri R. K. Singh shared these details in response to a question in the Rajya Sabha on December 5, 2023.