3 ‘Ps’ of Hydrogen Economy in India: Production Pathways, Policies, and Perspectives

Hydrogen production technologies are getting a new thrust with planetary emergencies like climate change. It is anticipated that hydrogen electricity in the long run may become more economical than fossil fuel-based electricity with carbon capture and storage, leading to a move towards the hydrogen economy. A hydrogen economy would provide long-term industrial sustainability compared to the intermittent energy harnessed from renewable resources. Hydrogen, being the first element of the Periodic Table, is the lightest and smallest, abundant in the universe, yet it is not found as a free molecule in the atmosphere. Highly chemically reactive, it is present in many chemicals around us, from water and hydrocarbons to polymers and plastics and many others, including living systems like plants and animals. Which is the best source for producing hydrogen? has been a dilemma for a long time. India, in the 26th meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP26) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held in Glasgow, has committed to reducing its GHG emissions by 45% by 2030 and to becoming carbon neutral by 2070 with a Panchamrit action plan to achieve green transformation with accelerated climate action. In a move towards a net zero strategy, significant steps have been taken to promote green hydrogen development. In the 75th year of India’s independence, an ambitious goal of making India a global hub and achieving green hydrogen production of 5 MTPA by 2030 has been stated. This chapter gives an overview of different sources of hydrogen, methods, and technologies of the hydrogen value chain. It describes the policy landscape in India and the opportunity it presents for a hydrogen economy in India. Learning objectives: