India's Ambitious Green Hydrogen Mission: Decarbonizing Fertiliser Production for Net-Zero Emissions
Key Ideas
- The National Green Hydrogen Mission aims to produce 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030 for domestic use and exports, targeting sectors like fertilisers, refineries, and city gas distribution.
- Replacing grey hydrogen with green hydrogen in the fertiliser sector can significantly reduce carbon emissions, but it faces technical and economic challenges.
- Green ammonia production through water electrolysis can decarbonize non-urea fertilisers, albeit at a higher cost; policy support like Carbon Credit Trading and subsidies is crucial to make it viable.
- While challenges exist in using green ammonia for urea production, a roadmap with sector-specific timelines is essential for the success of India's Green Hydrogen Mission in achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.
The National Green Hydrogen Mission in India has set an ambitious target of producing 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030, with a focus on domestic consumption and exports. The fertiliser, refinery, and city gas distribution sectors have been identified as key consumers of green hydrogen. In the fertiliser sector, which heavily relies on ammonia production, there is a significant opportunity to transition from grey hydrogen to green hydrogen, thereby reducing carbon emissions. However, this transition is hindered by technical and economic challenges. Green ammonia production, particularly for non-urea fertilisers, can help eliminate carbon dioxide emissions but comes at a higher cost.
To support the adoption of green ammonia, the Indian government is implementing initiatives like the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme and increasing subsidies under the Nutrient-Based Subsidy scheme. Viability gap funding is also being considered to manage the costs of decarbonization in the fertiliser sector. Challenges remain in using green ammonia for urea production due to higher ammonia requirements and the need for a nearby carbon dioxide source.
A detailed roadmap with specific timelines is highlighted as essential for the success of the Green Hydrogen Mission. The aim is to replace 3 million tonnes of grey ammonia with green ammonia in non-urea fertiliser production within 3-5 years, thus potentially preventing 6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually. Overall, the mission aligns with India's goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070, emphasizing the importance of sector-specific strategies and policy support for a successful transition to green hydrogen and ammonia in the fertiliser industry.
Topics
Green Hydrogen
Renewable Energy
Net Zero Emissions
Decarbonisation
Carbon Credits
Green Hydrogen Mission
Fertiliser Sector
Viability Gap Funding
Roadmap
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