In news: Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) has commenced India’s first-of-its-kind project of mixing hydrogen into natural gas system at Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
This project is to establish the techno-commercial feasibility of blending hydrogen in the CGD network
Marks the stepping stone of India’s journey towards a hydrogen-based and carbon-neutral future.
This grey hydrogen would subsequently be replaced by green hydrogen.
Help in creation of a robust standard and regulatory framework in India to cover the aspects of injecting hydrogen into natural gas
This is in line with the growth of a gas-based economy in India and with India’s vision of a greener and cleaner environment. As our country is moving forward with ambitious goal of achieving a carbon-neutral and self-reliant future, this project is a significant step in that direction.
Note:
Zero-emission hydrogen is gaining momentum around the world and depending on the source, the hydrogen can be classified into green, blue and grey.
Green hydrogen
The hydrogen that is obtained by splitting water by electrolysis using electricity from renewable energy sources like solar and wind.
The process helps in the production of only oxygen and hydrogen.
The hydrogen is used and oxygen is vented into the atmosphere with no negative impact.
Produced from natural gas with a process of steam methane reforming, where natural gas is mixed with very hot steam and a catalyst.
A chemical reaction occurs creating hydrogen and carbon monoxide.
Water is added to that mixture, turning the carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide and more hydrogen.
If the carbon dioxide emissions are then captured and stored underground, the process is considered carbon-neutral, and the resulting hydrogen is called blue hydrogen.
Grey hydrogen
Made from natural gas reforming like blue hydrogen, but without any efforts to capture carbon dioxide by-products.
What is Hydrogen Blending?
Hydrogen energy is a viable solution for reducing society’s dependence on fossil fuels and decarbonizing a number of energy sectors.
One of the measure to phase hydrogen into the energy sector is though natural gas/hydrogen (NG/H2) blending.
As the name would suggest, NG/H2 blending integrates concentrations of hydrogen into existing natural gas pipelines in order to reduce the carbon intensity of the methane.
This blending carries the hydrogen and natural gas mix to the intended location.
The blending of natural gas and hydrogen is currently in its early stages of development.
