India’s first Green Hydrogen Mobility Project

India’s first Green Hydrogen Mobility Project

Part of: GS Prelims and GS -III – Environment; Conservation; Infrastructure

In news NTPC  recently signed a MoU with UT of Ladakh and Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) to set up India’s first Green Hydrogen Mobility project.

• Leh will be India’s first city to implement a green hydrogen based mobility project with zero emission. NTPC has planned to ply 5 hydrogen buses in the beginning
• NTPC’s first solar installations in Leh in form of solar trees and a solar carport were also inaugurated

What is Green Hydrogen?

The sources and processes by which hydrogen is derived, are categorised by colour tabs. 

• Hydrogen produced from fossil fuels is called grey hydrogen; this constitutes the bulk of the hydrogen produced today. 
• Hydrogen generated from fossil fuels with carbon capture and storage options is called blue hydrogen; 
• Hydrogen generated entirely from renewable power sources is called green hydrogen. Electricity generated from renewable energy is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.

Green hydrogen has specific advantages

• Environment Friendly
• Potential to Decarbonise various sectors such as iron and steel, chemicals, and transportation (advantage over battery based energy)
• Renewable energy that cannot be stored or used by the grid can be channelled to produce hydrogen.
• Unlike Batteries, there is no dependence on Rare Minerals as the source material for green hydrogen is easily available
• Green energy helps reduce import dependency on fossil fuels
• Green hydrogen energy is vital for India to meet its Nationally Determined Contributions and ensure regional and national energy security, access and availability.

News Source: PIB