Hydrogen-based energy production can play a key role in a clean, secure, and affordable energy future. In this context, identify the potential and opportunities for utilizing hydrogen-based technologies. What are the challenges that need to be addressed to fulfill the potential?

Hydrogen-based energy production makes use of hydrogen fuel cells by electrochemical reactions to generate heat & energy.

Potential and opportunities for utilizing Hydrogen energy:

• Source of clean energy – Hydrogen emits no greenhouse gases, unlike other fuels like coal and petroleum.
• Widely available – Hydrogen is abundant in nature and therefore a sustainable source of energy.
• Higher energy density – Hydrogen is 20-30% times more efficient than petroleum and can be even used to fuel rockets.
• Curbing India’s imports – Since India has to rely on 85% imports for crude oil, Hydrogen use can save India’s foreign reserves.
• Ease of setting up and making changes – Its modular arrangement ensures it can be set up in a decentralized manner to remote locations and changes can be made.
• Faster recharging of hydrogen cells compared to electrical vehicles.

Challenges:

• Reliance on fossil fuels to separate hydrogen from water adds to greenhouse gas emissions.
• Highly inflammable and thus, it must be cooled and stored at high pressure inside pipelines.
• The odourless nature of hydrogen makes it difficult to detect leakages.
• Need for adequate pipeline infrastructure to transport and store hydrogen energy.

The Indian government recently launched the Green Hydrogen mission to support its development. It is a step in the right direction.

Topics: GS-III: Technology Missions • GS-III: Infrastructure Energy Sector • GS-III: Indigenization of Technology and Developing New Technology