Green Hydrogen to Propel India's Transition from Energy Importer to Exporter: Dr. Jitendra Singh

The Government of India, in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), successfully concluded the International Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH) 2023 after three days of engaging discussions. The conference, held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi, brought together key stakeholders and experts to explore the potential of green hydrogen and its role in transforming India's energy landscape.

Over the course of the conference, more than 2700 delegates, 135 speakers, and experts participated in seven plenary sessions, 16 technical sessions, and four panel discussions, all focused on the green hydrogen ecosystem. The event aimed to foster collaboration, exchange knowledge, and drive innovation in the field of green hydrogen.

During his address, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri highlighted the transformative potential of green hydrogen for India. He emphasized that green hydrogen could enable India to shift from being an energy importer to becoming an energy provider and exporter. Puri pointed out that India possesses a substantial demand for green hydrogen, has the capacity to produce and store it, and can fulfill critical requirements to establish itself as a hub for this environmentally friendly fuel.

He expressed optimism that green hydrogen, along with other green fuels, could significantly reduce India's current USD200 billion energy import bill and turn it into a USD300 billion export advantage in the future. Dr. Jitendra Singh thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his visionary approval of the Green Hydrogen Mission. He reiterated India's commitment to addressing climate change and stressed the importance of affordability, accessibility, and acceptability in India's pursuit of self-reliance in green hydrogen and sustainable solutions.

G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant emphasized India's potential as a global exporter of green hydrogen and energy. He called for concerted efforts to reduce the cost of green hydrogen from USD4.5 per kilogram to USD1 per kilogram by 2030. Shri Kant praised oil companies and refineries for leading the transition to green hydrogen and urged other sectors, such as cement and steel, to follow suit. He reiterated that India should leverage its core competitive advantage in green hydrogen to drive its growth in this sector.

Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood stressed the importance of international collaboration in the green hydrogen space. He highlighted that 16 countries, including India, have already unveiled their green hydrogen action plans, indicating the global demand for this clean fuel. He emphasized the need for India-specific life cycle assessments and infrastructure development to support the widespread utilization of green hydrogen across various sectors.

Secretary, MNRE Bhupinder Bhalla expressed gratitude to all stakeholders for their contributions to the success of the conference. He recognized the immense potential of green hydrogen in transforming India's energy landscape and emphasized the importance of international collaboration.  Bhalla stated that the conference and the Green Hydrogen Mission will lay the groundwork for research and development initiatives, pilot projects, and favorable policies to promote sustainable growth and expedite the transition to clean and green energy.

Chair, CII Task-force on Green Hydrogen, Vinit Mittal, thanked the government of India for providing guidance to the private sector and expressed confidence in India's ability to achieve energy self-reliance through investments in the green hydrogen sector. He acknowledged the government's proactive steps in decarbonization and promoting green growth, stating that green hydrogen is the future.

Mittal assured that the private sector is committed to meeting the expectations of the Prime Minister and contributing to India's green growth agenda.