Green hydrogen

The efficacy of hydrogen as renewable energy has once again come under the spotlight with Reliance Industries (RIL) announcing an investment of Rs 75,000 crore to create a New Energy Ecosystem. The plan includes building four gigafactories, two of which are dedicated to renewable, green hydrogen.

Hydrogen fuel cell technology is far from a novelty in the global EV ecosystem. Essentially, a fuel cell uses on-board hydrogen in a vehicle to create electricity on the fly, which powers the vehicle. While hydrogen fuel cell technology is currently transforming Europe’s heavy-duty trucking industry, it hasn’t been touted as an obvious and immediate alternative to fossil fuel, even though its benefits, in the longer run, far outweigh those of battery electric vehicles.

In the Indian context, both lithium-ion battery power and hydrogen power are receiving a huge push from the government. The recently announced FAME Phase II EV subsidies combined with Gujarat’s renewed policy for EVs have been done primarily to increase customer interest in electric vehicles.

Battery electrics (BEVs) currently occupy both ends of the private transport sector from low-cost, low-speed two-wheelers (primarily powered by lead-acid batteries), lithium-ion battery-powered scooters and high-end luxury cars like the Mercedes-Benz EQC and the new Audi e-Tron. There are, however, no hydrogen fuel cell (FCEVs) vehicles on sale in the country at present.

The Indian government is eager to use green hydrogen in a bid to boost the country’s green energy credentials, as evidenced by the Prime Minister announcing plans to launch a National Hydrogen Energy Mission last November.

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