India unveils hydrogen roadmap to speed shift from oil
India will need a route to cut down dependence on costly oil imports
New Delhi: India unveiled its hydrogen roadmap, offering incentives for investors to produce the fuel at low costs and help the nation shift away from its reliance on fossil fuels.
The first part of the plan offers free transmission of renewable electricity from one state to the other for hydrogen production, helping drive down costs for an industry that’s already winning support from billionaires like Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani.
The government is considering offering subsidies and obliging oil refineries and fertilizer plants to use the fuel in the second phase, which is still being prepared, Power Minister Raj Kumar Singh said.
Green hydrogen, made from water and renewable electricity, will likely play a major role in cutting emissions globally, offering a route to decarbonization for heavy industries like steel and cement. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government aims to make India - one of the largest importers of oil and coal - a global hub for production and export of hydrogen, even though the fuel is still a long way from being commercially viable.