India successfully commissioned its first green hydrogen blending project on Tuesday in a piped natural gas (PNG) network in Gujarat state.
Green hydrogen is produced through the electrolysis of water using power from a 1 MW floating solar project. It is noteworthy for successfully reducing CO2 emissions while maintaining the same net heating content - a feat that has been accomplished by only a select few countries such as the UK, Germany, and Australia.
The success of this project places India at the forefront of the global hydrogen economy, the Ministry of Power said.
“India would not only reduce its hydrocarbon import bill significantly but can also bring forex ashore by being a green hydrogen and green chemicals exporter to the world,” the ministry stated.
India has set a goal of producing five million metric tons of green hydrogen per year by 2030, with plans to export a significant portion of this hydrogen to countries such as Japan and South Korea, as well as the European Union.
In order to support the development of the green hydrogen sector, the Indian government is expected to announce a financial outlay of $4 billion in the upcoming national budget, announced in February.
This funding will likely be used to support research and development, as well as the construction of new green hydrogen production facilities.
The blending of green hydrogen with natural gas was approved by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) at a level of 5% vol./vol., with plans to gradually increase it to 20%.