India’s first green hydrogen-based microgrid project to be set up in Simhadri

• State-run power giant NTPC said it has awarded a project of ‘standalone fuel-cell based microgrid with hydrogen production using electrolyser’ at NTPC Simhadri in Andhra Pradesh.

• As per the power ministry, this will be India’s first green hydrogen-based energy storage project and one of the largest in the world.

• The ministry said that it would be a precursor to large-scale hydrogen energy storage projects and would be useful for studying and deploying multiple microgrids in various off grid and strategic locations of the country.

• The hydrogen would be produced using the advanced 240 kW Solid Oxide Electrolyser by taking input power from the nearby floating solar project.

• The hydrogen produced during sunshine hours would be stored at high pressure and would be electrified using a 50 kW Solid Oxide Fuel Cell.

• The system would work in standalone mode from 5pm in the evening to 7am in the morning.

• This unique project configuration is designed in-house by NTPC. It is a unique project for India and would open doors for decarbonising the far-off regions of the country like Ladakh, J&K, etc hitherto dependent on diesel generators.

• The project is in line with the vision for becoming carbon neutral by 2070 and making Ladakh a carbon neutral territory.

What is Green Hydrogen?

• As the world rapidly moves to decarbonise the entire energy system, hydrogen is poised to play a vital role and build on the rapid scale-up of renewable resources across the world. 

• Hydrogen when produced by electrolysis using renewable energy is known as Green Hydrogen, which has no carbon footprint. 

• This gives hydrogen the edge over other fuels to unlock various avenues of green usage. 

• Green hydrogen has innumerable applications. Green chemicals like ammonia and methanol can directly be utilised in existing applications like fertilizers, mobility, power, chemicals, shipping, etc. 

• Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the National Hydrogen Mission in Union Budget 2021 for generating hydrogen from green power sources.

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