India can shoulder global demand for green hydrogen, Bhalla tells World Hydrogen Summit

India aims to emerge as a leading exporter of green hydrogen globally and is determined to play a pivotal role in the global hydrogen economy, the country's top renewable energy bureaucrat told the World Hydrogen Summit in the Netherlands.

"With a strategic focus on scaling up production, India aims to capitalize on emerging opportunities in the international market for green hydrogen, thereby reinforcing its position as a key player in the global energy transition," Shri Bhupinder Singh Bhalla, Secretary, Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, told delegates while delivering the keynote address, which showcased India's leadership, ambition, and capabilities in the renewable energy and green hydrogen domains.

Bhalla assured the summit that India was capable of meeting any production demand for green hydrogen from the global market, as long as there was sufficient market demand and support. His confidence stemmed from India's robust renewable energy deployment strategy, as outlined by the country's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).

He highlighted the rapid scale-up of renewable energy infrastructure in India, and informed that non-fossil fuel sources constituted ~43 percent of the country's installed power generation capacity, and were set to account for half the country's generation capacity by 2030.

The Secretary, MNRE, also underscored the comprehensive nature of India's National Green Hydrogen Mission, comprising components such as pilot projects, research and development initiatives, and skill development programs.

"This holistic approach reflects the government's commitment to fostering innovation, collaboration, and capacity-building across the hydrogen value chain. Moreover, the Mission's focus on piloting projects and advancing R&D underscores India's commitment to nurturing a vibrant ecosystem for green hydrogen technologies, fostering the emergence of cutting-edge solutions and best practices," he said.

Bhalla also reiterated India's position as a leader in affordability of renewable energy, emphasizing the nation's low cost of renewable power, which feeds into the positive loop of lower-cost green hydrogen production. "With competitive pricing, India presents an attractive landscape for domestic and international investments in renewable energy projects, aligning with the nation's commitment to transitioning towards sustainable energy sources," he said.