Green Hydrogen
Why it Matters?
Despite India's bullish outlook on green hydrogen, weak global demand due to geopolitical instability and policy reversals is slowing export momentum, prompting the government to shift focus towards building strong domestic demand through mandates and incentives
What You Should Know?
Green hydrogen is a clean fuel produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity from renewable energy sources like solar or wind.
It emits zero greenhouse gases during production, making it a 100% sustainable energy option.
It is produced through electrolysis, a chemical process that breaks water (H₂O) into hydrogen (H₂) and oxygen (O₂) using electric current.
When this electricity comes from renewables, the hydrogen produced is termed “green”.
At the anode, water splits into oxygen, protons (H⁺), and electrons; at the cathode, the electrons reduce protons to form hydrogen gas.
The only byproduct of this process is pure water vapour, making it entirely clean.
Advantages:
Zero emissions during production and uses it’s entirely clean and climate-friendly.
Easy to store for long durations, enabling backup power and grid stability.
Highly versatile as it can be used in electricity generation, industrial processes, fuel cells, and synthetic gas production.
Boosts energy security, especially for countries rich in renewable energy sources.
Disadvantages:
High production cost due to expensive renewable electricity and electrolysis equipment.
Energy-intensive as electrolysis requires more energy input than many other fuel production methods.
Volatile and flammable because hydrogen’s storage and transport require strict safety measures.
Applications:
It powers Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) in transport, which have faster refuelling and longer range than battery vehicles.
It can replace fossil fuels and help cut emissions drastically in heavy industries like steel and fertilizer.
It can also be blended with natural gas in pipelines, gradually reducing the carbon footprint of domestic and industrial energy use.
In space missions, hydrogen fuel cells generate both electricity and drinking water by combining hydrogen and oxygen.
It enables energy storage in compressed form, easier to handle than lithium-ion batteries.
It plays a vital role in decarbonizing heavy sectors like aviation, shipping, and long-haul trucking.