Collaboration And Regulatory Frameworks Could Accelerate Green Hydrogen Ecosystem, Says MNRE Secretary

On the sidelines of the second Energy Transition Working Group meeting, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) hosted the side event “Green Hydrogen – Advancing Net-Zero Pathways.” Green hydrogen is anticipated to play a crucial role in decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors and achieving G20 nations’ net-zero goals.

The side event, conducted in partnership with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) and International Solar Alliance (ISA) with World Resources Institute India (WRI India) as a knowledge partner, saw active participation by international research organizations, industry participants, regulatory bodies, and other key stakeholders. The discussions were centred around policy, regulatory, and financial frameworks to accelerate the deployment of green hydrogen and promote cooperation amongst G20 nations. The event also featured an exhibition where India’s first H2 Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) truck was displayed.

Speaking at the inaugural session in his keynote address Mr. Bhupinder Singh Bhalla, Secretary, MNRE, said, “Creating policy mechanisms and regulatory frameworks along with establishing collaborations between countries, could accelerate a green hydrogen ecosystem. Developing consensus on a common framework for hydrogen certification would be extremely critical to enable global hydrogen trade. Achieving this will be of paramount importance as part of G20 deliberations and discussions.”

Giving a global perspective on green hydrogen Ms. Gauri Singh – Deputy Director General, IRENA, said, “At present about 100 MTs of hydrogen is produced globally, and 98% of that comes from fossil fuels. The world’s current power consumption, 21,000 TWh, must be generated six times over to switch to a “green hydrogen economy.”

Mr. Madhav Pai, Interim CEO & Program Executive Director – of Sustainable Cities & Transport, WRI India said, “Green hydrogen is poised to play a vital role in the cross-sectoral decarbonization of hard-to-abate sectors and is, therefore, a crucial element for a sustainable, low-carbon future. There exist unique prospects for the world’s leading economies to engage in cooperative and collaborative efforts critical for addressing economic and technical challenges and building a resilient global hydrogen value chain.”

The growing efforts to diversify and advance the fuel basket will not only result in environmental benefits but would also be accompanied by energy security and reduced import dependency. To meet clean energy transition objectives, G20 nations will require the adoption of multi-pronged strategies which should include renewable energy, green hydrogen, and its derivatives. Substantive and coordinated global efforts are required to position green hydrogen as a key lever for energy transition, especially for hard-to-abate industrial sectors, long haul and heavy transport (including aviation and shipping), and other potential applications including heating and energy storage.