Researchers at IIT-Madras, in collaboration with the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), have conducted a comprehensive study to boost green hydrogen production in India, supporting the country’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2070 and 50% electricity from non-fossil fuels by 2030. Green hydrogen, a clean fuel produced from renewable energy, can reduce emissions in hard-to-decarbonise sectors like industry, transport, and buildings while enhancing energy security.The study, published in the Energy and Fuels journal by the American Chemical Society, offers guidance on scaling up hydrogen production, evaluating environmental impacts, material requirements, and technology choices. Researchers focused on Proton-Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolysers, which are more efficient than traditional systems and suitable for large-scale production. The study highlights that different PEM configurations have varying environmental footprints and proposes a tiered classification system—platinum, gold, silver, bronze—to indicate hydrogen’s environmental quality.
Key findings also provide strategies to secure critical raw materials for electrolysers, mitigating supply risks for India’s growing hydrogen sector. Prof. Satyanarayanan Seshadri, Head of the Energy Consortium at IIT-Madras, said the roadmap ensures efficient and sustainable scale-up. The research lays the foundation for future work on lifecycle assessments, production pathways, and material availability, aligning with India’s Green Hydrogen Mission, which targets 5 million metric tons of annual production by 2030.