Introduction

In recent years, green hydrogen has come out as a key source of clean energy. It has featured in a number of emission-reduction pledges at the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow. Hydrogen has many uses, namely, in fuel cells to generate electricity, in petroleum refining, and in fertilizer production. Besides that, it is also emerging rapidly as a transportation fuel. Green Hydrogen is produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen undergoing through the process of electrolysis. This process is completed through alternate sources of energy like wind or solar power. The product is called "grey hydrogen" if conventional fuel like coal is used.

India's Green Hydrogen Mission

India's Green Hydrogen Mission was first announced by the Prime Minister in his Independence Day speech in 2021. The Government of India formally approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission on January 4, 2023, with the stated aim of making India a global hub for the production of green hydrogen, a strategic alternative fuel. The Union Cabinet also approved an outlay of Rs. 19,744, aimed at the creation of export opportunities for green hydrogen and its derivatives; decarbonization of the energy sector and use in mobility applications in a bid to lower dependence on imported fossil fuels; and development of indigenous manufacturing capacities. Green hydrogen is specifically advantageous in the sense that due to its being a clean burning molecule, it can decarbonize a range of sectors including iron and steel, chemicals, and transportation. Another advantage is that renewable energy which can not be stored, can be channeled to produce hydrogen. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is in the process of formulating guidelines for the scheme that aims at developing a green hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 million metric tonnes per annum with an associated renewable energy capacity addition of about 125 gigawatts by 2030. It is also claimed that the implementation of the National Green Hydrogen Mission will be pivotal in supporting India's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) commitments. In India, the private sector has already started working on the appropriate use of green hydrogen, especially in the automobile sector. Overall, green hydrogen appears to be a potent tool for achieving the goal of net zero emissions by the year 2070. However, some points of doubt and concerns have also been raised by the experts in the field and the critics. The issue of lack of suitable and state-of-the-art technology, and the availability of funds are more prominent. This paper tries to explore the pros and cons of the efficacy of the green hydrogen mission in India and also come up with suggestions to improve the situation.

In the recent past, the World Economic Forum has observed that (green) hydrogen is an important pillar of the net zero economy. The Green Hydrogen Catapult, a UN initiative to lower the cost of green hydrogen, has nearly doubled its goal for electrolyzers from 25 GW set in 2020 to 45 GW by the year 2027. In India, an ambitious target has been set to produce 5 million tonnes per annum of green hydrogen, with an associated renewable energy capacity addition of about 125 GW, by 2030. The goal is to reach the stage of energy independence by 2047 and net zero emissions by 2070. Currently, India is spending around 158 billion dollars on the import of crude oil which is an exorbitant amount. There is an urgent need to cut down this expenditure drastically to achieve the goal of green fuel/energy in the immediate future.

The Potential Constraints

• Adequate research and development (R&D) facility is missing. In India, the concept of green hydrogen is in the embryonic stage, and a lot of scientific research is needed to fully harness its vast potential. However, in this regard, only governmental efforts are not going to suffice. The onus also lies on the corporate sector which is also going to be a larger beneficiary than the government itself. Big companies, at least, must install research and development facilities at their level to achieve much-needed breakthroughs in the production of green hydrogen.
• Fund management is a challenging problem. Since the technology to produce green hydrogen is cost-incentive, heavy financial investments on behalf of the government and the private sector are a must. For developing economies, it is more difficult. However, in the interest of the survival of humanity, this immediate call has to be taken by all concerned.
• The much-needed policy interventions are still awaited. Though India has taken big steps in formulating appropriate policies regarding the production and use of green hydrogen, many countries are far lagging. The sufficient and robust policy interventions at the United Nations level are still awaited.

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, green hydrogen is set to be at the core of green energy which is the only panacea for the world ridden with greenhouse gases and the ever-growing process of global warming. It is imperative in the current situation to switch over to green hydrogen and green energy as soon as possible for the survival of mankind. Many Western countries including the European Union countries have gradually moved in this direction but the rest of the world has to follow suit. Of late, India has also adopted appropriate policy interventions in this regard and work has started in this regard. India may lead the world in this comparatively new field of human knowledge. One major constraint in this regard is the availability of funds. The developed countries are reluctant to share their funds with the developing countries. This has, indeed, aggravated the problem. It can be hoped that with the effective intervention of the United Nations Climate Change Conferences, the bottlenecks might be resolved in the interest of the survival of humanity. Lest we forget that green hydrogen is not only a potent solution for the green energy problem but also a way ahead to achieve a net-zero emissions goal by the stipulated time limit of the year 2070.

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