The ministry of New and Renewable Energy on Saturday defined Green Hydrogen (GH) and became one of the few countries to have a definition for GH; the ministry also notified the GH standard for India,

         The ministry while outlining the emission thresholds for production of hydrogen has decided to define green hydrogen as having a well-to-gate emission of not more than two kg carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent per kg hydrogen (H2).

The well-to-gate emission includes water treatment, electrolysis, gas purification, drying and compression of hydrogen. The scope of the definition encompasses both electrolysis-based and biomass-based hydrogen production methods.

The notification specifies that a detailed methodology for measurement, reporting, monitoring, on-site verification and certification of green hydrogen and its derivatives will be specified by the ministry of new and renewable energy.

The notification also specifies that the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under the ministry of power will be the nodal authority for accreditation of agencies for the monitoring, verification and certification for green hydrogen production projects.

LEARNING FROM HOME/WITHOUT CLASSES/BASICS

Green hydrogen is hydrogen that is produced using renewable energy through electrolysis; uses an electrical current to separate hydrogen from oxygen in the water. If the electricity needed for electrolysis is generated from renewable sources such as solar or wind, the production of hydrogen in this way emits no greenhouse gasses.

Currently, hydrogen is used in petroleum refining, aerospace applications, and the manufacturing of chemicals, steel, and ammonia fertilizers. However, the hydrogen that is in use today is produced using fossil fuels, which are the primary source.

Organic materials such as fossil fuels and biomass are used for releasing hydrogen through chemical processes. The alternative method is to either use electrolysis or renewable energy like solar and wind to split water (H2O) into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2). The latter process is what companies and governments across the world are looking to establish.

According to a Tech Crunch article, one of the key characteristics of hydrogen is that it has long-duration energy-storage capabilities, which makes it a complement to weather-dependent energies like solar and wind. Storage is critical to the growth of renewable energy, and the greater use of hydrogen in renewable-energy storage can drive the cost of both down.

It can decarbonization of many sectors such as the transportation and power industry.

Fuel cells use oxygen from the air and hydrogen to generate electricity. The only emission in this process is non-polluting 
water vapor. In the new era, fuel cells will progressively replace internal
combustion engines, which can power automobiles, trucks, and buses. They can also be used for powering stationary applications powering data centers, telecom towers, emergency generators, and micro grids

NEED OF THE HOUR: Setting up more manufacturing facilities, indigenous production of important components such as electrolyzers, and production linked incentives by the Government.

15.08.2021, Prime Minister announced the launch of the National Hydrogen Mission and stated the goal to make India a global hub for Green Hydrogen production and export. The draft National Green Hydrogen Mission document is under inter-ministerial consultations.

The Mission proposes a framework for inter alia creating demand for Green Hydrogen in sectors such as petroleum refining and fertilizer production; support for indigenous
manufacturing of critical technologies; Research & Development activities; and an enabling policy and regulatory framework.