TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY
THE CONTEXT: Introduction SJVN Limited, a leading hydropower company, has inaugurated India’s first multipurpose green hydrogen pilot project at its Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station (NJHPS) in Himachal Pradesh.
EXPLANATION:
- This groundbreaking initiative signifies a significant step towards sustainable energy production and aligns with the government’s National Green Hydrogen Mission.
Project Details
- Location: The project is located at the 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station in Jhakri, Himachal Pradesh.
- Objectives: The primary objective of the project is to produce green hydrogen, a clean and renewable form of energy. It aims to generate 14 kg of green hydrogen daily during eight hours of operation.
- Utilization of Surplus: Any surplus green hydrogen produced will be utilized to create electricity through a 25 kW capacity fuel cell, thereby maximizing the project’s efficiency and contributing to the overall energy transition.
- Generation Process: The green hydrogen generation plant employs an alkaline electrolyzer with a capacity of 20 Nm/hour, powered by renewable energy sourced from a 1.31 MW solar power plant located at SJVN’s Wadhal site in Shimla.
- Application: The project will produce high-velocity oxygen fuel coating material for the fuel cell at NJHPS, highlighting its multifaceted utility beyond hydrogen production alone.
Significance and Implications
- Environmental Impact: By harnessing renewable energy sources for hydrogen production, the project significantly reduces carbon emissions and environmental pollution, contributing to India’s efforts to combat climate change.
- Technology Advancement: The adoption of green hydrogen technology represents a leap forward in India’s energy landscape, showcasing the nation’s commitment to innovation and sustainable development.
- Infrastructure Development: The project accelerates the establishment of a green hydrogen production infrastructure within the power sector, laying the foundation for broader adoption of green hydrogen as a viable clean energy solution.
- Alignment with National Initiatives: The project’s alignment with the National Green Hydrogen Mission underscores the government’s strategic focus on promoting renewable energy technologies and achieving energy security and sustainability goals.
National Green Hydrogen Mission:
- It is a program to incentivise the commercial production of green hydrogen and make India a net exporter of the fuel.
- The Mission will facilitate demand creation, production, utilization and export of Green Hydrogen.
- Its sub schemes are:
- Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition Programme (SIGHT): It will fund the domestic manufacturing of electrolysers and produce green hydrogen.
- Green Hydrogen Hubs: States and regions capable of supporting large scale production and/or utilization of hydrogen will be identified and developed as Green Hydrogen Hubs.
- Its comes under the Nodal Ministry: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
- It aims at developing green hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 MMT (Million Metric Tonne) per annum, alongside adding renewable energy capacity of about 125 GW (gigawatt) in India by 2030.
- It aims to entail over Rs 8 lakh crore of total investments and is expected to generate six lakh jobs.
- It will also lead to a cumulative reduction in fossil fuel imports by over Rs 1 lakh crore and an abatement of nearly 50 MT of annual greenhouse gas emissions.