There are plans to run buses fuelled by hydrogen blended with CNG, the minister said
NEW DELHI: : India is working to leverage its compressed natural gas (CNG) pipeline grid and infrastructure to reduce the transportation cost for the new-age emission-free fuel—hydrogen.
Also, there are plans to run buses across cities fuelled by hydrogen blended with CNG, minister for petroleum and natural gas and steel Dharmendra Pradhan said on Thursday.
This comes against the backdrop of the proposed National Hydrogen Energy Mission, which may mandate fertilizer, steel and petrochemicals industries to shift to green hydrogen. The proposal is expected to be taken up by the Union cabinet for approval shortly.
“Efforts are underway to leverage the vast CNG pipeline infrastructure to reduce the transportation cost of hydrogen,” Pradhan said while addressing a roundtable titled Hydrogen Economy: New Delhi Dialogue—2021. The roundtable was also attended by UAE’s industry and advanced technology minister Sultan bin Ahmad Sultan Al Jaber, Australia’s minister for energy and emissions reduction Angus Taylor, Denmark’s climate, energy and utilities minister Dan Jørgensen and US deputy energy secretary David M. Turk.
This comes at a time when India, the world’s third-largest oil importer, is recalibrating its energy sourcing playbook keeping its strategic and economic interests in mind. The Indian government is working on diversifying the country’s energy basket with crude oil supplies from non-Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) sources, after the Opec+ grouping’s decision to retain supply curbs.
Indian private companies such as Greenko, Adani Group, Acme Solar and state-owned firms such as NTPC Ltd and Indian Oil Corp. Ltd have been tying up with technology providers, while Solar Energy Corp. of India Ltd is looking to invite bids to build green hydrogen plants. Given that hydrogen can be used for both fuel cell and internal combustion engines, it is also being leveraged for mobility.
Mint had reported about Toyota Motor Corp., Hyundai Motor Co., Tata Motors Ltd, Ashok Leyland Ltd and KPIT Technologies Ltd evincing interest in India’s maiden initiative to run hydrogen-powered fuel cell-based electric cars and buses.
Green hydrogen gas is produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using an electrolyzer, that may be powered by electricity generated from renewable energy sources.
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