₹34.84 cr earmarked for first green hydrogen pilot project by the transport sector of Kerala.
Hydrogen trucks to be used and as part of a new refueling infrastructure in Kerala, India sanctioned in total ₹ 34.84 crores amount of funds were allocated for a green hydrogen pilot project undertaken by the Transport Sector in the state.
The demonstration pilot project will be taken by the Government of Kerala agency, Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology (ANERT), and it will consist of two fuel cell-based trucks, two hydrogen internal combustion engine (ICE)-based trucks, and two hydrogen refueling units.
The project would cost ₹40 crore for which 90% funding has been offered in the form of Viability Gap Funding. The central government initiated Viability Gap Funding, and the latter is offering financial assistance to infrastructure projects being implemented under the public-private partnership model to reach commercial viability.
Hydrogen fuel trucks by Ashok Leyland to start with. And refuelling infrastructure has started getting evolved along with development under BPCL with Greenstat India.
Sanctioned Route Numbers
Total Routes for Sanctions :
Thiruvananthapuram- Kochi
Kochi –Edapally
The organization for the period of first two years would finance in subsidization regarding the actual usage of fuel -green hydrogen-in operational runs through ANERT
Major Milestones
The company is looking to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and aims for the state to be 100% renewable by 2040. Green hydrogen would most certainly play a key role in this transition. The project fits into the development of the state under the umbrella of the National Green Hydrogen Mission, which would be poised to establish an annual production capacity of 5 million metric tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030, along with tapping export potential.
According to N. Veluri, Chief Executive Officer of ANERT, the state is also finalizing a full-fledged Green Hydrogen Policy, which would be announced shortly.
Other Green Hydrogen Plans
The development of green hydrogen projects is undertaken outside the transport sector. Notable among such projects is the proposed green hydrogen plant at Cochin International Airport. The collaboration with BPCL has taken up the project with the development of a hydrogen production facility and fueling station. Technology will be sourced from BPCL, construction supervision, and the management of the operations will also be done by BPCL.
Another prominent proposal is from ReNew. ReNew is a company dedicated to decarbonization and last year proposed investing ₹26,400 crore in a green hydrogen project in Kerala with a production capacity of 220 kilowatts.
National Context
The heart of India’s decarbonization strategy is green hydrogen. In 2022, the National Green Hydrogen Mission was initiated with the intention of making India the world leader in green hydrogen production and export. This will lead to lower greenhouse gas emissions, reduced reliance on fossil fuels, and greater energy security.
Conclusion
One of the prime steps Kerala takes in the realization of its audacious renewable energy targets for the state is through the green hydrogen pilot project. The state will merge hydrogen technology within the transport system through the support of public and private partnerships, which will raise the bar across India for successful sustainable development initiatives. If completed successfully, hydrogen technology will be extended to a great extent across Indian states.
Source: From available data on ETEnergyWorld and various ANERT and MNRE declarations.