The Iran war has once again forced the world to think about alternatives to petrol and diesel. Recently the prices of petrol and diesel have been increased. As soon as petrol and diesel become expensive, people start looking towards alternative fuels. In the last few years, sales of electric vehicles have increased rapidly across the world. Meanwhile, another option is increasingly being discussed and that is hydrogen fuel. From companies to the government, people are working seriously on this. The biggest question is whether hydrogen can really become the future of petrol and diesel?
What is hydrogen fuel?
Hydrogen is not a new technology. Research on this has been going on for a long time, but now its discussion has increased because it is being seen as clean energy. In vehicles, it is mainly used in Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) technology. In this technology, hydrogen reacts with oxygen to generate electricity and provide energy to the vehicle. Its biggest special thing is that it does not emit smoke or poisonous gas. In this only water or steam comes as waste.
Green hydrogen is considered the cleanest option. On the other hand, gray and blue hydrogen are made from fossil fuels, which cause more carbon emissions. That is, if hydrogen is to be made truly environment friendly, then green hydrogen will have to be made cheap and available on a large scale.
In which areas can hydrogen be most useful?
Often people think that hydrogen is the same solution for all vehicles, but it is not so. Unlike battery-powered electric vehicles, hydrogen does not fit everywhere. Experts believe that hydrogen can prove to be more useful in areas where heavy batteries become a problem or long distances have to be covered.
What is India doing about hydrogen?
India has started taking initial steps in the hydrogen sector. In the year 2023, the government had launched the National Green Hydrogen Mission. Under this mission, a budget of about Rs 19,744 crore was fixed. The government aims to produce 50 lakh metric tons of green hydrogen every year by 2030. Apart from this, many port based hubs of the country like Tuticorin, Paradip and Kandla are being developed as hydrogen production and export centres. On the other hand, private and government companies are also working rapidly in this direction. JSW had commissioned a 3,600 MTPA capacity unit by the end of 2025. Whereas GAIL and NTPC are working on hydrogen in the gas network of cities.
Hydrogen still faces many big challenges
Even though hydrogen is being called the fuel of the future, many big difficulties still exist before it. The cost of producing green hydrogen is still very high. Apart from this, due to low density of hydrogen, its storage and transportation is also challenging. Currently, there are almost no hydrogen refueling stations in the country. Apart from this, due to the losses in the entire supply chain, its capacity is also considered less than electric vehicles. This is why battery EVs appear to be a more practical option for common car buyers in the near future.
Will hydrogen really become the fuel of the future?
Hydrogen is not going to replace petrol, diesel or electric vehicles overnight. But it would not be right to ignore it either. When the world is facing challenges like rising oil prices and energy security, then hydrogen can emerge as a strategic option. Its real strength for India lies not in common cars today but in the energy security of tomorrow. If its cost comes down, infrastructure is strengthened and green hydrogen becomes available on a large scale, then it can become an important part of India’s clean transportation policy in the coming years.
