Gujarat Is Working To Become India’s Green Hydrogen Hub
Context:
Gujarat has started the process of becoming the nation’s centre for producing green hydrogen while maintaining its control over the industrial sector.
Points to Ponder:
- Gujarat’s Green Hydrogen Manufacturing Hub:
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- Gujarat wants to maintain its hegemony over the industrial sector by developing into the nation’s centre for producing green hydrogen.
- For investments in green energy projects, the state has inked MoUs with significant businesses including Reliance, Adani, ArcelorMittal, and Torrent.
- The state administration is developing a new policy that will designate green hydrogen manufacturing as a “priority sector.”
- Land Lease and assignment:
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- The Gujarat State Cabinet has authorised the leasing and assignment of 1.99 lakh hectares in the border regions between Kutch and Banaskantha for green energy projects.
- 3.26 lakh hectares worth of projects have been offered by the corporations that signed MoUs.
- Land parcels will originally be leased for 40 years.
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- Targets and Incentive Programmes:
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- The government will offer incentives to businesses that invest in green hydrogen projects.
- After commissioning their plants, companies must reach 50% of their green hydrogen production capacity within five years and 100% within eight years.
- Net-zero emission and renewable energy targets for India: By 2070, India wants to have no emissions at all.
- By 2030, the nation wants to have 50% of its energy come from renewable sources and cut its carbon emissions by 45%.
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- Gujarat’s Expected Investments:
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- Over the next 15 years, Gujarat anticipates investments in the green energy sector totalling over 10 lakh crore.
- The state is establishing itself as a centre for green energy and the ecology that supports it.
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- Requirements for Establishing Green Hydrogen Plants:
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- Organisations planning to establish green hydrogen plants in Gujarat must have prior expertise in producing at least 500 MW of renewable energy or be consumers of “green,” “blue,” or “brown” hydrogen.
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- Companies and their Commitments:
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- Reliance has committed 5.6 lakh crore in investments for a green hydrogen park and a park for renewable energy in Gujarat.
- To build a capability to produce up to 3 million tonnes of green hydrogen yearly, Adani wants to invest over 4.13 lakh crore in green hydrogen and related ecosystems.
- Additionally, these businesses intend to set up facilities for wind and solar projects, energy storage batteries, fuel cells, and solar photovoltaic modules.
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- National Green Hydrogen Mission:
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- In the Union Budget, the Indian government set aside 19,744 crore for the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
- The mission’s objective is to advance the creation of a green hydrogen generation capability of at least 5 MMT annually.
- About 125 GW of additional renewable energy capacity is the associated goal for 2030.
- By 2030, the initiative hopes to bring in more than 8 lakh crore in investments and generate more than 6 lakh employment.
