GS Paper III – Energy, Environment, Science & Technology

10-Marker (150 words):

🔹 “Hydrogen can play a crucial role in decarbonizing India’s industrial sector.” Examine the potential and challenges of hydrogen energy in India’s path to net-zero emissions.

Introduction & Context

1. Goal of Net-Zero Economy:
   
   
   • Achieving net-zero emissions requires massive electrification of end uses and industries.
     
     
   • Fossil fuels are widely used in energy and industrial processes like steel and fertilizer production.
     
     
   • For decarbonization, hydrogen can replace carbon-based fuels in industries.
     
     
2. Hydrogen’s Role:
   
   
   • Steel: Hydrogen replaces coal to reduce iron ore.
     
     
   • Fertilizer: Hydrogen from natural gas to make ammonia can be replaced by green hydrogen.
     
     

II. Rising Power Demand & Role of Nuclear Energy

3. Growing Power Demand:
   
   
   • Studies predict a steep rise in electricity demand to meet net-zero targets.
     
     
   • Solar, wind, and hydro can’t meet total demand — nuclear energy must play a role.
     
     
4. India’s Nuclear Power Targets:
   
   
   • Government aims to reach 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047.
     
     
   • NPCIL has announced/initiated several new Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs).
     
     
     • Units in Gujarat and Rajasthan; fleet of 10 reactors under planning.
       
       
     • Target of 700 MW per unit.
       
       

5. Private Sector Involvement:
   
   
   • Public Sector Undertakings and private industries exploring nuclear development.
     
     

III. Low-Carbon Energy Sources: Future Share & Strategy

6. Diversified Low-Carbon Energy Mix:
   
   
   • Future energy mix: Hydro, nuclear, solar, wind — all will increase.
     
     
   • Nuclear plays base load role; solar/wind are intermittent.
     
     
7. Flexing Role of Fossil Fuels:
   
   
   • Currently used to balance demand-supply mismatches.
     
     
   • Flexibility in fossil-based plants may be replaced by large-scale electricity storage and electrolyzers.
     
     

IV. Electrolyzers & Hydrogen Production

8. Electrolyzers in Energy Grid:
   
   
   • Convert electricity to hydrogen during off-peak times.
     
     
   • Avoids need to build new nuclear or fossil plants for intermittent supply.
     
     
   • Can be part of large-scale energy storage
     
     
9. Policy for Electrolyzers:
   
   
   • Should support hydrogen generation, not reconversion into electricity.
     
     
   • Hydrogen from electrolysis (solar/wind) is green; classification and certification schemes
     
     

V. Green Hydrogen Certification & Standards

10. Classification and Incentives:
    
    

• Hydrogen produced from solar/wind via electrolysis = green hydrogen.
  
  
• Electrolytic and biomass-based hydrogen certified as green if CO₂ < 2 kg/kg H₂.
  
  
• Suggestion: Include nuclear-based hydrogen under low-carbon hydrogen
  
  

VI. Integration of Hydrogen & Electricity Sectors

11. Need for Sector Synergy:
    
    

• Hydrogen and electricity sectors currently treated separately.
  
  
• Both must be synergized for economic and climate benefits.
  
  
• Hydrogen from electricity (electrolyzers) + electricity storage = dual benefits.
  
  

12. Mutual Benefit & Grid Stability:
    
    

• Hydrogen production helps manage electricity oversupply.
  
  
• Reduces the need for fossil fuel-based flexing plants.
  
  

VII. Conclusion & Policy Recommendations

13. Policy Focus:
    
    

• Encourage integrated planning of hydrogen production and electricity grid.
  
  
• Include nuclear-based hydrogen in low-carbon definition.
• Consider electrolyzers and storage devices as grid assets to ensure reliability.