Bhupinder Singh Bhalla, the secretary of the ministry of new and renewable energy, government of India, delivered a keynote address at the World Hydrogen Summit 2024, highlighting India’s strategic vision and capabilities in renewable energy and green hydrogen production.
Bhalla outlined the extensive national green hydrogen mission, encompassing pilot projects, research and development (R&D) initiatives, and skill development programs. He emphasized the government’s dedication to fostering innovation, collaboration, and capacity-building throughout the hydrogen value chain.
Additionally, he underscored India’s commitment to cultivating a vibrant ecosystem for green hydrogen technologies, emphasizing the importance of piloting projects and advancing R&D to facilitate the emergence of cutting-edge solutions and best practices.
Reaffirming India’s position as a global leader in affordable renewable energy, Bhalla emphasized the country’s competitive pricing. He highlighted India’s attractive landscape for domestic and international investments in renewable energy projects, aligning with the country’s pledge to transition towards sustainable energy sources. Bhalla also stressed on India’s integrated grid infrastructure, enhancing grid stability and reliability, thereby optimizing efficiency and minimizing the necessity for long-distance transportation and storage of hydrogen.
India’s skilled engineering workforce plays a crucial role in the successful implementation of renewable energy and green hydrogen projects. Bhalla noted India’s world-class expertise in engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services, highlighting the robust talent pool capable of executing projects with efficiency and precision. He emphasized that this availability of skilled personnel at a reasonable cost further enhances India’s competitiveness in the global market for green hydrogen production.
Bhalla highlighted India’s ambition to emerge as a leading exporter of green hydrogen. He emphasized India’s strategic focus on scaling up production to capitalize on emerging opportunities in the international market for green hydrogen, solidifying its position as a key player in the global energy transition.
India’s renewable energy deployment strategy, as outlined in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), is robust. Currently, approximately forty-three percent of India’s installed electricity capacity comes from non-fossil-fuel sources, with projections indicating a rise to 50 percent by 2030.
As reported by Energetica India, the national green hydrogen mission is a flagship initiative by the government, aiming for five million tons of annual green hydrogen production capacity by 2030. Significant progress includes awarded tenders for incentives supporting green hydrogen production of 4,12,000 tons per annum and electrolyser manufacturing capacity of 1,500 MW per annum.
