Prime minister Modi calls for international cooperation for cost rationalization, R&D of green hydrogen

New Delhi: Prime minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday called for international cooperation on green hydrogen to scale up production, lower cost and promote research & development.

Addressing the International Conference for Green Hydrogen 2024 in a video message, Modi said the G20 Summit held in New Delhi last year, under India's presidency, adopted voluntary principles for green hydrogen which would help in creating a common roadmap.

He said that given the global nature of climate change, the solutions for tackling climate change would also have to be global in approach.

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The prime minister stressed the need for international partnerships to promote green hydrogen in efforts at decarbonization, adding that scaling up production, minimizing costs and building infrastructure can happen faster through cooperation. 

He also called for jointly investing in research and innovation to push technology further. "All of us must remember -- the decisions we make now will decide the lives of our future generations”, he added.

Reiterating Indian plans to produce and export green hydrogen, Modi said: "We aim to position India as a global hub for the production, utilization, and export of green hydrogen. The National Green Hydrogen Mission, launched in 2023, is a critical step toward realizing this ambition. It will drive innovation, build infrastructure, stimulate industry growth, and attract investment in the green hydrogen sector.”

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Addressing the inaugural session of the three-day conference Union minister for new and renewable energy Pralhad Joshi said that along with the potential to generate investment opportunities worth ₹8 trillion, the green hydrogen mission would also help in creating 600,000 jobs.

Efforts to reduce carbon emissions by 5 MMT by 2030 to be made

"As we move forward, our efforts will also contribute to reducing carbon emissions by 5 MMT by 2030, positioning India as a beacon of sustainable development on the global stage”, he said.

Hardeep Singh Puri, the Union minister for petroleum and natural gas noted that India's commitment to achieving net-zero emission by 2070 involves a multifaceted approach, including a significant focus on green hydrogen.

"Our goal of producing 5 million metric tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030 is a critical step in decarbonizing our economy. This will require an investment of $100 billion and the development of 125 gigawatts of new renewable energy capacity," Puri said.

Also Read: World Bank’s second $1.5 billion loan reflects confidence in India’s green hydrogen policies

Along with reducing 15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, the mission will also generate substantial savings, he added. Puri was of the view that the success of the National Green Hydrogen Mission depends on the collaborative efforts of both the central and state governments, as well as industry partners.

The second edition of the International Conference on Green Hydrogen which started on Wednesday in New Delhi, will conclude on Friday (13 September).