What is green hydrogen? Carbon-friendly gas at the centre of Modi’s National Hydrogen Mission

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20 November 2018, Saxony-Anhalt, Magdeburg: A tap of the first hydrogen filling station in Magdeburg Saxony-Anhalt. The technology for the H2 system comes from Air Liquide and enables the refuelling of around 40 vehicles per day. Located directly on the Autobahn 2, the filling station closes a gap between Berlin and the Hannover area. The client and operator is the joint venture H2 MOBILITY, in which the companies Air Liquide, Daimler, Linde, OMV, Shell and TOTAL have joined forces. Photo: Peter Gercke/dpa-Zentralbild/ZB (Photo by Peter Gercke/picture alliance via Getty Images)

During his Independence Day speech Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a National Hydrogen Mission and said India will become the world’s largest exporter of green hydrogen in the years to come.

“As we celebrate 75 years of Independence, we have to ensure India becomes self-reliant in energy production,” PM Modi said.

The announcement marks another step in India’s transition from fossil fuels like petroleum to renewable energy sources. As part of the 2015 Paris Agreement, India has pledged to generate 40 per cent of its power through renewable energy — an aim it seeks to fulfil by 2030.

Furthermore, the green hydrogen announcement is also expected to wean India off importing energy. According to an article in Livemint, India currently imports 85 per cent of its oil and 53 per cent of gas demand.

ThePrint looks at green hydrogen, how it is made and how it will help India become more sustainable in terms of energy.

Green, blue and brown hydrogen
Hydrogen is a colourless, odourless gas abundant in the Earth’s atmosphere and is utilised for industrial uses such as petroleum refining, aerospace applications and manufacturing of chemicals, steel, and ammonia fertilisers.

For industrial processes, hydrogen is extracted primarily through two methods, the gasification of coal or through a process called steam methane reformation (SMR).

In SME, methane from natural gas, when heated with steam, produces carbon monoxide and hydrogen that can be used as fuel.

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