Introduction
The Solar Energy Corporation of India has invited bids for the development of enabling infrastructure of green hydrogen hubs all over the country. The move is in relation to one of the most critical steps towards advancing its Green Hydrogen Mission. It remains part of the country’s more comprehensive approach to transition to clean energy and lower its carbon footprint through large-scale stimulation of green hydrogen production and its use.
What are Green Hydrogen Hubs?
A green hydrogen hub can be defined as a specifically defined geographical area with a concentration of green hydrogen producers and end users, coupled with the necessary infrastructure to store, process, and transfer the hydrogen. This structure shall either satisfy the domestic consumption or enable export to third-country markets of green hydrogen or its derivatives. Locations with a high concentration of refineries, fertilizer production plants, and other industries with large hydrogen demand would be potential candidates.
Call for Proposals by SECI
Under the present call for proposals, SECI intends to set up at least two green hydrogen hubs by FY 2025-26 with a minimum capacity of 100,000 metric tonnes per annum of green hydrogen. The program is backed by a budgetary allocation of INR 200 crore, which shall be used solely for defraying the costs connected with the creation of core infrastructure for such hubs.
Setting of Infrastructure and Financial Assist
The monetary help beneath this plan will prolong to quite a few crucial parts of infrastructure. They embrace facilities for storage and transportation of inexperienced hydrogen and its by-products, pipeline networks, and refueling stations for hydrogen-run vehicles. Furthermore, the plan will finance applied sciences for hydrogen compression and liquefaction, water remedy amenities resembling desalination crops, and bunkering amenities at ports with provisions for giant vessels.
Its program also envisages upgradation of shipping infrastructure, augmentation of port and jetty facilities, and formation of new dedicated substations, all for the purpose of supporting the export potential of these hubs. In addition, this will also finance land redevelopment and energy storage solutions that will be needed to effectively manage the renewable energy inputs so that the green hydrogen hubs function efficiently and sustainably.
Global Context: Advancing Clean Energy
It is in tandem with the global trend of countries investing in clean energy technologies. On the other side of the Atlantic, United States Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm will join local Senators and Governors to formally open the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub, ARCH2 Programme Office. ARCH2 has been picked for federal funding of up to $925 million—yet another mile marker of the country’s changing trajectory toward clean energy.
The second news is that American Airlines announced its induction of hydrogen-powered aircraft into the fleet by 2032. It is part of the ZeroAvia project and has agreed to purchase 100 hydrogen-electric engines for regional jets. This move underlines once more that aviation is moving toward sustainable energy.
European Developments in Green Hydrogen
In Europe, also, is the development going on for green hydrogen. Marubeni Europower and Suntory Global Spirits collaborated to establish at the Auchentoshan Distillery in Scotland a small-scale hydrogen plant targeting whisky decarbonization. A public consultation and stakeholder engagement are underway, and a planning application is set to be lodged later in 2023. The facility could come online by as early as 2027.
Cepsa will sell its liquefied gas subsidiary Gasilsa to Abastible, a Chilean subsidiary of Empresas Copec, thus closing the deal for its liquefied gas subsidiary in Spain and Portugal. This accord will help the Spanish energy company Cepsa finance its investments in the energy transition process, aiming at leading with sustainable energy. Green hydrogen and biofuels should make up more than half of activities by 2030, according to the company’s CEO, Maarten Wetselaar.
The company has also agreed with Shell Deutschland to build a renewable hydrogen plant of 100 MW installed capacity at the Rheinland Energy and Chemical Park, Wesseling, Germany. It will be powered by PEM electrolyser stacks from ITM Power and is due to commence operations in 2027, adding to Europe’s burgeoning infrastructure of green hydrogen.
Conclusion
By calling for proposals to set up green hydrogen hubs, SECI has taken one gigantic step toward India’s clean energy transition. With sizeable financial support and an inherent strategy lying at its core in terms of infrastructure, such hubs are bound to make a vital contribution to both domestic consumption and the export of green hydrogen. This measure, therefore, also establishes India at par with major players in the green hydrogen space globally and becomes part of the global initiative towards mitigating climate change and ensuring sustainable energy solutions.