In a significant stride towards sustainable and cleaner mobility, the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) is set to roll out Pilot Projects for the use of Green Hydrogen in the Transport Sector. This initiative, with an allocated budget of INR 496 Crore till FY 2025-26, aims to propel India towards becoming a global hub for the production, usage, and export of Green Hydrogen (GH2) and its derivatives.
Launched on January 4, 2023, the NGHM has a holistic vision to make India a self-reliant force in clean energy, significantly reducing dependence on fossil fuel imports. The Transport Sector Pilot Projects, a key component of NGHM, are designed to:
- Support the phased deployment of Green Hydrogen as fuel in buses, trucks, and four-wheelers.
- Validate the technical feasibility and performance of Green Hydrogen-operated vehicles under real-world conditions.
- Assess the economic viability of Hydrogen-fuelled vehicles.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of hydrogen refuelling stations.
- Identify areas for improvement in hydrogen-based vehicles' performance.
- Demonstrate the safe and secure operations of hydrogen-based vehicles and refuelling stations.
- Pilot Projects in the Transport Sector.
These highways will witness the development of Green Hydrogen production projects, distribution infrastructure, and refuelling stations.
Financial assistance will be provided to deploy Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV) and Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) buses and trucks in a phased manner. The mission aims to bridge the viability gap resulting from the initial higher capital cost of such vehicles. The projects will focus on gaining valuable insights into the deployment and usage of Hydrogen fuel vehicles and refuelling technologies.
These pilot projects serve as crucial steps in identifying operational challenges and technology gaps, contributing essential inputs for future scaling and commercial deployment of Green Hydrogen in the transport sector.
The scope includes the development of commercially viable technologies, such as using Green Hydrogen in buses and trucks (both Fuel Cell and Internal Combustion Engine-based propulsion), establishing supporting infrastructure like Hydrogen refuelling stations, and exploring innovative uses of Hydrogen for reducing carbon emissions in the transport sector.
Implementation Methodology
Routes for the pilot projects will be identified by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). The Scheme Implementing Agency (SIA) will issue calls for proposals, selecting executing agencies through a transparent process. The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) will provide administrative sanctions based on the recommendations of the Project Appraisal Committee.
The budget allocation between different types of pilot projects will be decided by MoRTH. Central Financial Assistance (CFA) will be released in stages, with a percentage on the issuance of the Letter of Award, milestone-based disbursement during project execution, and a final disbursement on completion.
A Steering Committee, co-chaired by the Secretary of MoRTH and MNRE, will oversee the overall monitoring and implementation of the scheme. A Project Appraisal Committee (PAC) will evaluate and monitor sanctioned projects, recommending CFA releases based on project milestones.
Upon completion, the SIAs will submit Project Completion Reports to PAC. These reports will include technical aspects, challenges, project outcomes, and recommendations for future projects. Guidelines for the safeguard of Intellectual Property generated through these projects will be issued by MoRTH.
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