National Green Hydrogen Mission

• Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways recently said that under the National Hydrogen Mission of the country, Green Hydrogen/Ammonia bunkers and refuelling facilities will be established in all major ports by 2035.

About National Green Hydrogen Mission:

• It was approved by the Union Cabinet in January 2022.
• Aim: To make India a Global Hub for the production, utilization and export of Green Hydrogen and its derivatives.
• The mission outcomes projected by 2030 are:
  • Development of green hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 MMT (Million Metric Tonnes) per annum with an associated renewable energy capacity addition of about 125 GW in the country;
  • Over Eight lakh crore in total investments;
  • Creation of over six lakh jobs;
  • Cumulative reduction in fossil fuel imports over Rs. One lakh crore;
  • Abatement of nearly 50 MMT of annual greenhouse gas emissions;

Types of Hydrogen based on Extraction Methods:

• Green Hydrogen: It is produced using electrolysis of water with electricity generated by renewable energy. The carbon intensity ultimately depends on the carbon neutrality of the source of electricity (i.e., the more renewable energy there is in the electricity fuel mix, the “greener” the hydrogen produced).
• Grey Hydrogen: It is produced via coal or lignite gasification (black or brown), or via a process called steam methane reformation (SMR) of natural gas or methane (grey). These tend to be mostly carbon-intensive processes.
• Blue Hydrogen: It is produced via natural gas or coal gasification combined with carbon capture storage (CCS) or carbon capture use (CCU) technologies to reduce carbon emissions.