WEF 2022 Davos: Why India's clean energy lies with green hydrogen, not blue

The WEF 2022 Davos report states that no country needs green hydrogen more than India

India’s clean energy future is at a critical juncture and urgently needs to fast-track green hydrogen economy, according to International Energy Agency’s (IEA) recent Global Hydrogen Review 2021.

The report states that no country needs green hydrogen more than India – to reduce life-threatening air pollution in its cities, to escape the debilitating financial burden of energy imports, and to decarbonise its rapidly growing economy.

The Global Hydrogen Review is a new annual publication by the IEA to track progress in hydrogen production and demand. It was published ahead of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2022, to be held in Davos from May 22 to May 26.

India is navigating the challenge of delivering an unprecedented expansion of energy supplies to satisfy rapidly growing economy and government’s 2070 net-zero emissions pledge, the report said.

One road sees India continue its dependence on oil-rich nations supplying energy fuels and blue hydrogen carriers and the ongoing exposure to sometimes crippling international prices, the review said, adding the alternative route would see India invest heavily in research and development to drive down the cost of electrolysis, and to complement its status as one of the world’s lowest-cost producers of solar power.

The report suggests that Indian economy built on globally competitive renewable electricity will require a comprehensive industrial policy with strategic investments to stimulate demand for green hydrogen across the economy, which already has been started by the government with its National Hydrogen Mission.