Norway evinces interest in investing in Maharashtra in green hydrogen
Maharashtra is developing a Green Hydrogen Mission in order to attract investment in various parts of the state, including Vidarbha.
The Maharashtra government is in the process of developing a Green Hydrogen Policy and is looking for collaboration in the sector. The Maharashtra Energy Development Agency (MEDA) recently made a presentation to the Norway Consulate delegation led by Arne Jan Flolo, Consul General, as part of their efforts to explore opportunities for collaboration in the sector.
Maharashtra is developing a Green Hydrogen Policy, for which MEDA has consulted with stakeholders.
“The draft of the Green Hydrogen Policy is submitted to the Energy Department, Government of Maharashtra. Besides, MEDA is facilitating a Knowledge Partnership program with a reputed technological institute in Maharashtra. Also, it is facilitating the formation of Green Hydrogen cluster in Maharashtra, which may be spread to various parts including Vidarbha,” said a source familiar with the development.
In light of these developments, a delegation from the Norwegian Consulate, led by Consul General Arne Jan Flolo, recently visited MEDA headquarters in Aundh, Pune, and discussed the possibility of collaboration on new and innovative technology with the Norwegian government/firms.
MEDA officials gave a presentation to a Norwegian Consulate delegation led by Consul General Arne Jan Flolo and Interpolity Commerce’s Kanchan Bharat Ingle.
MEDA Director General Ravindra Jagtap, Additional Director General Pankaj Tagalpallewar, Deputy Director (Accounts) Vijay Kote, and all General Managers and other MEDA officials were present. Jagtap greeted the delegation warmly. Anand Raidurg, General Manager (Project), presented technology-based Renewable Energy (RE) development in Maharashtra as well as MEDA initiatives for research and development.
MEDA officials informed the visiting delegation that the process of establishing innovative demonstrative renewable energy projects in Maharashtra was already underway.
These projects include a smart charging station for electric vehicles powered by renewable energy, Green Hydrogen, power generation from waste biomass and refuse-derived fuel, municipal waste, and oxy-steam biomass gasification.
These projects are being carried out with the assistance of the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai. Furthermore, research is being conducted in collaboration with Nagpur-based Laxminarayan Institute of Technology (LIT) to improve the electrical performance of solar photovoltaic systems using nano-fluids. The Norwegian Consul General is said to have acknowledged the development of renewable energy in Maharashtra.
According to sources, the Consul General expressed his desire to ‘collaborate’ with the Maharashtra government and MEDA ‘for further exchange of technology and ‘Knowledge Partnership’ on Green Hydrogen Development, offshore wind, and floating solar,’ among other things.
Norway, he said, advances the energy security of consuming countries as one of the world’s largest energy exporters. Flolo expressed Norway’s interest in India-Norway energy cooperation while reiterating Norway’s commitment to environmental sustainability and climate policy.
He is said to have promised to bring a delegation of Norwegian companies to Maharashtra to help MEDA with its pressing energy issues. Furthermore, he stated that the Norwegian government had established a $10 billion Climate Investment Fund to combat climate change, which it would invest in developing countries such as India to achieve carbon neutrality.
Green Hydrogen Mission in India
GREEN Hydrogen is created by electrolyzing water with renewable energy-generated electricity. The carbon intensity is ultimately determined by the carbon neutrality of the electricity source.
Simply put, the higher the proportion of renewable energy in the electricity fuel mix, the greener the hydrogen produced. Already, India aspires to achieve energy independence by 2047 and a ‘Net Zero’ emissions target by 2070. In order to achieve this goal, India is looking at Green Hydrogen as a promising alternative for enabling energy transition.
On January 4, 2022, the Union Cabinet approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission. The Mission aims to make India a world leader in the production and supply of green hydrogen, as well as to create export opportunities for green hydrogen and its derivatives, reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels and feedstock, develop indigenous manufacturing capabilities, attract investment and business opportunities for the industry, and so on.
In India, efforts are underway to achieve a Green Hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) per year by 2030, with associated renewable energy capacity addition of approximately 125 GW. India has targeted a total investment of more than Rs 8 lakh crore.
