India showcases its commitment to green energy transition at ICGH 2023

The conference emphasised the evolving nature of green hydrogen and abridge the key stakeholders to discuss crucial themes in the sector.

The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy recently concluded a press conference to discuss the significance of boosting investments in green hydrogen and its transformative impact on our energy landscape. The International Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH) 2023, aimed to draw lessons from leading countries and explore the growth trajectory and deployment of green hydrogen.

Bhupinder S Bhalla, Secretary of the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, emphasized the conference’s comprehensive coverage of the entire green hydrogen ecosystem. The conference also covered topics like production, storage, mobility, utilisation, transmission and distribution infrastructure and transportation.

On the other hand, Dr. Ashish Lele, Director of the National Chemical Laboratory in Pune, emphasised the evolving nature of green hydrogen and the conference’s objective of bringing together key stakeholders to discuss crucial themes in the sector. Furthermore, indigenous technologies were showcased, with the fuel sim technology exhibit developed collaboratively by DRDO, L&T, and KPIT gaining attention.

Dr. SSV Ramakumar, Director (R&D) of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), expressed satisfaction with the conference’s achievements in exploring avenues to boost green hydrogen through sharing and learning from international best practices. IOCL announced its plan to launch 15 fuel cell-driven buses in Delhi this year, connecting various routes.

Addressing the skill development aspect, panellists emphasized the need to upskill and reskill existing energy personnel to meet the changing requirements of the green hydrogen sector. Academic associations, private universities, and organizations like the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) and the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) are actively designing special courses and skilling programs. The Ministry of Skill Development & Education is also developing a policy to provide hands-on training in various aspects of the green hydrogen ecosystem.

When asked about demand projections for green hydrogen by 2030, Bhupinder S Bhalla stated that India aims to produce 5 million metric tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030. Seventy percent of this production is earmarked for exports, while the remaining 30 percent will be for domestic consumption. Five priority sectors, including fertiliser, refinery, and long-haul mobility, have been identified for green hydrogen applications.

The three-day ICGH 2023 conference attracted over 2,700 registrations and featured participation from more than 135 speakers, including representatives from countries such as Japan, Australia, Africa, and the European Union. The event included plenary sessions, panel discussions, technical sessions, and a CEO roundtable chaired by R K Singh, Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy, Government of India. Closed-door country roundtables were also organized with Singapore, Korea, Japan, and the EU to explore collaboration potential for mutual benefit.