Centre releases draft roadmap for R&D for green hydrogen manufacturing, storage.
As per the draft roadmap, the plans to develop efficient, safe, and cost-effective hydrogen storage methods that enable high-density storage, reduce leakage, and allow for easy and quick refueling.
The ministry aims to demonstrate distributed aboveground storage solutions available at a capital cost lower than ₹30,000 per kg by 2030 along with demonstrating large-scale underground storage at a capital cost less than ₹3000 per kg by 2030.
The roadmap outlined examples of storage facilities globally. It mentioned that hydrogen storage in salt caverns is already used in the US, Britain, and Germany.
The walls of a salt cavern are stable and impervious to gas over the lifespan of the storage facility.
It noted that hydrogen can be generated from diverse resources, which include fossil fuel resources such as coal, natural gas, and lignite, and renewable resources such as biomass and water splitting using solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal energy.
Fossil fuels-derived hydrogen production includes coal gasification, along with hydrocarbon reforming and pyrolysis. Renewable resources-based hydrogen production includes biomass process and water splitting using renewable energy.
It said that electrolysis, with high capital costs and dependency on electric costs, has made it the most expensive method of producing hydrogen. Noting that technology advancement to build large capacity and improve the efficiency of electrolysers is a major big challenge, the draft roadmap said that by 2030, government aims a steep reduction in electrolyser capital and operational expenditure.
The ministry of new and renewable energy is also looking at enhancing operational capacity and efficiency, keeping in mind durability and reliability, especially when operating dynamically.
The roadmap aims to “design and develop large-scale (MW) Electrolyser systems, including Stack and BOP.”
The draft roadmap said:
A focussed approach would be required to solve critical cost and technology challenges to enhance Green Hydrogen production and use.
“The National Green Hydrogen Mission proposes a comprehensive R&D programme to drive innovation in various aspects of Green Hydrogen,“ said the draft roadmap.
The roadmap has proposed three key approaches for promoting R&D — mission mode, grand challenge projects and blue sky projects.
Under the ‘mission mode’ approach, projects with an impact horizon of up to five years, which is also known as ‘early-stage research action’. Under the approach, low cost electrode development for reduced cost, improved performance, and increased durability of PEM electrolysers would be developed along with development of feedstock agnostic biomass gasification technology for hydrogen production among others.
Further, projects with a medium-term impact horizon of up to 8 years would come in the Grand Challenge Projects. They are also know as ‘Demonstration Actions’ for encouraging start-ups and industries to grow. It would include power to gas technology development with SOEC, demonstration of biomass gasification-based hydrogen generation and development of integrated net carbon-negative solutions for hydrogen production in a cost-effective way through indigenous technologies.
Under the Blue Sky Projects, projects wit up to 15 years impact horizon would be taken up with a focus on establishing global IP and competitive advantage for the Indian industry. R&D for sea water electrolysis for hydrogen production, photo electrochemical water splitting, thermochemical water splitting and integration with nuclear and technology for waste to hydrogen would be developed.
Centre releases draft roadmap for R&D for green hydrogen manufacturing, storage, July 5, 2023
