3 Green Hydrogen Pilot Projects On Anvil

The government has already launched the R&D scheme with an outlay of Rs400 cr to research activities in the green hydrogen ecosystem

New Delhi: In a bid to boost green hydrogen, the central government is likely to soon unveil pilot projects in the shipping, steel, and transport sectors. The government has already launched the R&D scheme with an outlay of Rs400 crore to research activities in the green hydrogen ecosystem.

The stage is set for pilot projects in these sectors, official sources told Bizz Buzz, adding that the guidelines for the three sectors were announced months ago, in February.

Under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy will implement pilot projects in the shipping sector to replace fossil fuels and fossil fuel-based feedstock with green hydrogen and its derivatives. These pilot projects will be implemented through the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) and the designated implementing agencies.

Two areas have been identified as thrust areas under the pilot projects: retrofitting of existing ships so as to enable them to run on green hydrogen or its derivatives; and development of bunkering and refueling facilities in ports on international shipping lanes for fuels based on green hydrogen.

The use of green hydrogen and its derivatives in the shipping sector, through the proposed pilot projects, will lead to the development of necessary infrastructure including refueling stations, storage, and distribution networks, resulting in the establishment of a green hydrogen ecosystem in the sector. The utilization of green hydrogen in the shipping industry is expected to increase over the years, with the expected reduction in its production cost.

Likewise, the green hydrogen pilot projects in the steel sector will be implemented through the Ministry of Steel and the designated implementing agencies. Three areas have been identified as thrust areas for the pilot projects: use of hydrogen in direct reduced iron-making process; use of hydrogen in blast furnace; and substitution of fossil fuels with green hydrogen in a gradual manner.

The pilot project in the transport sector, to be implemented through the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, will support the technologies for the use of green hydrogen in buses, trucks, and four-wheelers with fuel cell-based or internal combustion engine-based propulsion technology. Also, emphasis would be to develop the requisite infrastructure such as hydrogen refueling stations.