Union Minister Launches Green Hydrogen Certification Portal of India
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi launched the Green Hydrogen Certification Portal of India (GHCI) to establish transparent emissions tracking and regulatory compliance under the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
Key Facts
- The GHCI portal was launched by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to facilitate transparent emissions accounting for green hydrogen.
- The National Green Hydrogen Mission targets the production of at least 5 MMT of green hydrogen per annum by 2030.
- Green hydrogen is produced via water electrolysis powered exclusively by renewable energy sources like solar and wind.
- To be certified as green in India, hydrogen production must release no more than 2.0 kg of CO2 equivalent per kg of hydrogen.
In a major boost to India's clean energy infrastructure, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi launched the Green Hydrogen Certification Portal of India (GHCI). The digital portal is designed to automate the measurement, verification, and allocation of green hydrogen compliance certificates, providing a transparent carbon accounting mechanism for domestic and export markets.
1. Objectives of the National Green Hydrogen Mission
The National Green Hydrogen Mission was launched by the Central Government in January 2023 with an initial financial outlay of ₹19,744 crore. The primary targets of the mission to be achieved by 2030 include:
- Developing a green hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 MMT (Million Metric Tonnes) per annum.
- Adding over 125 GW of associated renewable energy capacity to the national grid.
- Abating nearly 50 MMT of annual greenhouse gas emissions.
- Attracting over ₹8 lakh crore in total capital investments and creating over 6 lakh clean energy jobs.
2. Green Hydrogen vs. Other Hydrogen Categories
Hydrogen is classified into distinct categories based on its production pathways and environmental impacts:
- Green Hydrogen: Produced by splitting water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen using an electrolyser powered entirely by renewable energy (solar, wind, or hydro). It has a zero-carbon production footprint.
- Grey Hydrogen: The most common form today, produced from fossil fuels (primarily natural gas) using Steam Methane Reforming (SMR). The process releases significant carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
- Blue Hydrogen: Produced using the same process as grey hydrogen, but with Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies capturing and storing the resulting $CO_2$ emissions underground.
3. India's Regulatory Emission Standards
To qualify for certification under India's framework, green hydrogen production must adhere to strict environmental standards. Specifically, the net greenhouse gas emissions from the production process (including water treatment, electrolysis, purification, and compression) must not exceed 2.0 kg $CO_2$ equivalent per kg of hydrogen produced, calculated as a 12-month average.
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